Our New(Old) World
by Artemisia032495
Summary: Sequel to The Lombax Rebirth. One can hardly be too careful when remaking an old abandoned world and raising a family. Especially when good and bad old faces make a return.
1. An Unbelievable Return

**Welcome to Our New/Old World! The third installment in the series, so naturally it has long chapters. You've been warned lol. It took some time but hopefully, it was well worth the wait. But remember, I want to know what you think of it. Leave a like or a review, and I'd be eternally grateful. Please enjoy!**

 **All non-canon characters are mine.**

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"Wait, wait, wait." Ian stopped his parents after they explained. "Back up, old people. You're telling us that Grandpa Alister is still alive, existing in a frozen state for decades. Before any of us had a sliver of a chance at existing when he saved the universe and Dad's tail forever ago."

Kori nodded and shot a glance at Ratchet. "That is correct."

"And you're just telling us now?" Zeon looked at his aunt and uncle, Rosie in his lap. "How long has this been a secret?"

Ratchet rubbed the back of his neck and tried to escape but Kori grabbed the back of his shirt. He sighed. "Your Uncle Clank and Sigmund knew of a time anomaly for years but it wasn't until recently they were able to definitely tell where it was, or who it was." Ratchet shrugged. "And since they found him they had been working on restoring him to his natural Circadian rhythm."

"That's when you visited Uncle Clank!" Rosie jumped up, almost accidentally hurting Zeon. "That was on my birthday!"

Ratchet smiled a little. "Yes, Rosie."

"But," Claire frowned at Kori and Ratchet. "Are you sure he's safe? That he won't hurt any of us?" She took Orion's hand and glanced at their bedroom door, their baby napping inside.

Orion frowned. "If there is any doubt, I'm not letting him anywhere near my son." He wrapped his arm around Claire. "Or my wife."

"He won't hurt anyone." Ratchet shook his head. "Not if he knows who you are, and I'll be the first to talk to him. He knows me."

Kori took a breath, resting her hands on her heart. "No, I want to talk to him." Everyone looked at her. Ratchet took a step toward Kori, reaching out for her.

"Kori," Ratchet spoke softly. "What if he hurts you? He doesn't know you."

Kori took Ratchet's hand and interlaced their fingers, a look of anger on her soft features. "Then I hurt him back." She smiled sadly, her previous anger replaced by kindness. "He's my father, Ratchet. If anyone should talk to him, it should be me."

Ratchet smiled weakly and nodded. "If you're sure, then I'll stand behind you." He thought for a moment before Ratchet frowned. "But if he tries anything, I don't care if he is your father. You matter more to me than him."

"I think Kori will be fine," Kaden spoke from his place in the hallway, the kids turning to look at him. "She has her mother's healing touch." He smiled.

Alister was still asleep when he arrived, as Clank promised, and Ratchet was left to stand guard over him in case he woke up early. Kori briefed their family, even Becca came.

"My darling family, we have brought you all here in the event of a massive development." Kori looked at her family, especially to her mother. "I know it is going to be hard to believe because I can hardly believe it myself."

Montay looked to his children, now both almost grown. "Should be we concerned?" He asked his sister.

Kori shook her head. "You shouldn't, but I am not quite sure."

"Kori," Ratchet whispered, poking his head out the door. "He's waking up." They hurried to switch places, leaving Ratchet to explain.

Kori slowly and quietly entered the room Alister was put in, a mix of nervousness and excitement fluttering in her heart. She saw a person she both knew and didn't, a face she saw her brothers in, and minimally herself. Kori sat down next to Alister and put a cloth in cold water like her mother had done when she was little.

"Where am I?" Alister groaned in discomfort, eyes open just a crack. His voice gruff, a voice completely new to Kori, not even from her deepest and darkest dreams. "What's going on?"

Kori spoke softly. "Try not to move too much," she rung out the cloth and gently pressed it to her father's head, "you had a terrible hit to your head." Kori made sure to move slowly, calculated to not provoke any violence from Alister. "And you need not to worry. You're on Fastoon, safe."

"Fastoon?" Alister questioned. His eyes were unfocused and adjusted painfully slow. "Who are you?" Alister's body was stiff, his muscles ached from a strange pain.

Kori smiled to herself. "You wouldn't know who I am, but that's okay." She moved slowly and made the cloth cold again. "I was born far from here, far away from here. What seems like forever ago." Kori gently rung out the cloth, never turning her back to Alister.

Alister's mind was clouded. "Are you a Lombax?" His thoughts muddled and trying to sort themselves out.

"I hope so," Kori gently touched the cloth to Alister's temple, she smiled warmly. "My mother and father are both Lombaxes."

Alister slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Do I know your mother or father?" Kori gently rested her hand on Alister's back to help him stay vertical.

"I do believe you do." Kori nodded gravely. "You see, it was such a long time ago. Now more so than any time before it. Back after the Great War but before the Lombax's escape, my parents lived on Fastoon with my two older brothers. Then they found out they were having me, but before they could tell anyone else Tachyon attacked." She placed her hand to Alister's arm. "My mother was forced to go but my father was forced to stay." Kori frowned. "My parents are Becca and Alister Azimuth."

Alister stopped and he looked at Kori, through almost adjusted eyes. "It's only been 24 years since Tachyon attacked." He said in disbelief.

"No, Alister," Kori spoke kindly. "It's been 57 years now." She called in Ratchet, careful not to call him by name. "There is someone you may recognize better."

Ratchet came in carefully and smiled at Alister. "Hey, General." He waved. "It's been a long time." Before Alister could ask he continued. "You see when you sacrificed yourself you didn't die. The blast of energy just had you on pause for a while."

Something in Alister clicked. He looked at Kori. "You're…" Alister smiled. "You're my daughter." Kori was still as he touched her face, and they smiled at each other. "I always wondered what the baby was, as it turns out I didn't have all sons."

Kori put her hand on her father's, a laugh escaped her lips. "Almost, but you haven't met your son-in-law." She turned to smile at Ratchet, still holding her father's hand. "Meet my husband."

"You married my daughter?" Alister looked to Ratchet, withholding his look of surprise.

Ratchet shrugged and put his hands on Kori's shoulders. "What can I say? She is quite the Lombax, she's the one who wanted to take up the complete reconstruction of Fastoon. And we had a few bumps along the way, but we prefer to call our children by their names."

"Children?" Alister asked, his face lit up. "You have children?" He didn't want to get his hopes up but… "Are they here?"

Kori smiled. "When we knew you were coming I made sure they were all here," she shrugged a little, "besides the three that live here with us."

Ratchet called in Claire, Franklin, Ian, Liza, and Rosie. They entered the room and stood in line. The children introduced themselves, until Little Rosie hid behind their father, peeking around his leg to look at Alister. Ratchet smiled and put his hand on Rosie's head. "You'll have to forgive Rosie, she's shy."

Alister smiled a little at Rosie. "You don't need to be afraid of me, little one. I won't harm you." He coaxed the little lombax from behind Ratchet's leg and put her in his lap. "Your name is Rosie, that's a pretty name."

Rosie smiled. "My full name is Rosalyn, but that takes too long to say so everyone calls me Rosie."

"I see," Alister smiled. "You've got quite a few siblings."

Rosie nodded. "Yeah, and I have a nephew."

"Rosie," Claire spoke up, smiling. "That was supposed to be a surprise." She laughed at her youngest sibling.

Alister looked at Ratchet and Kori. "You have a grandchild?" He grinned, a warmth feeling filling his chest.

Ratchet smiled. "Yup, I've officially become old." Rosie giggled and told her father he was already old when she was born. "Thank you, Rosie, real ego boost there."

Claire looked to Ratchet. "Should I go get my son now that the surprise is spoiled?" She was given permission, so she slipped past her siblings to get her own husband and child.

Franklin nodded. "It's getting quite crowded in this room, perhaps we should leave because the baby steals the show." Rosie hugged Alister before jumping off his lap to join her siblings in leaving.

Claire came back, holding Baby (who was quite vocal about it, as vocal as a week old baby could be), and dragging in Orion. She pushed Orion toward her grandfather, reassured by how he handled her youngest sister.

Orion introduced himself and shook Alister's hand. "Grandson-in-law Orion Vital, General Azimuth."

Claire sat next Alister and showed off the little baby. "This is your great-grandson," she smiled, whispering to Alister. "He doesn't have a name yet, we haven't been able to decide on one."

Alister's hands trembled slightly. "My...great grandson." He received silent permission from Claire as he was handed the tiny babe. Alister beamed and laughed lightly. "He looks like his father," he smiled at Orion.

"Not a true surprise," Orion shrugged. "But we're sure he got some of his mom in there."

Claire smiled and gently grasped her son's foot. "He has three eye colors to pick from." She looked her grandfather in the eye to show off her heterochromia.

"That's just our family." Kori smiled. "Are you ready for the rest?"

Alister looked at his daughter. "The rest?" He scanned all the faces in the room. "What do you mean the rest?"

"Let's just say we called in the troops." Ratchet shrugged.

Claire smiled. "How about we let him adjust to us for now? He can meet them when he's ready." She nodded to her father. "It took some time for Dad to accept he was going to be a grandpa."

"We'll leave you alone," Ratchet smiled. "Baby can turn anyone around." He helped Kori up, grabbed Orion and left with them.

Alister looked at Claire, a smile in his voice. "Where did you find him?"

Claire smiled shyly. "Let's just say I was allowed some exploration in my youth, Orion just happened to follow me home."

"How did your father take it?" Alister whispered, smiling.

"Not happy for a while." Claire laughed. "But he came around."

Baby yawned a big yawn and stretched. Alister smiled and rubbed the baby's back. "I never thought I would ever see another baby lombax again, let alone my great-grandson." He watched the little baby sleep. "The last one I held was your dad."

Claire smiled. "He's not a baby anymore, the big lug." She touched his arm gently. "Do you think you're ready?"

Alister took a deep breath, looked at the infant, smiled and told his granddaughter he was ready. Claire took Baby and helped Alister out of bed. He was still a little stiff after "being paused" for about 30 years.

Claire closed her grandfather's eyes and led him to the family room where everyone sat waiting. Becca silenced her gasp and Montay slowly started to stand. Somewhere in the deep recesses of his memory, Rolin recognized this individual in front of him.

Alister opened his eyes and saw a large group of lombaxes. "Who…" He breathed, his words escaping him. So many lombaxes; adults, teens, and young adults. And one, a girl, white like him.

Becca stood and slowly approached him. "Are you really…" She slowly and gently touched his face. "My Alister?" Becca was afraid to breathe, scared this was just her imagination.

Alister didn't recognize her at first but he looked into her eyes and saw his wife; the way he tried to remember her, younger and happier. "Becca?" He remembered her when they got separated. "But...they took you away from me…" To have to watch his sons and wife dragged away to a place he could not follow….

Becca smiled. "Your son, Montay." She gestured to their eldest son, who moved to stand behind her. "The troublemaker made a new system for interdimensional travel."

Montay nodded to Alister. "Hello, Father." He stood tall before his father, like a soldier before his commanding officer.

"My boy," Alister grinned and clasped his hand on Montay's shoulder. "I always knew you would do great things."

Rolin got up quickly and approached the group. "Let's not forget Rolin." He smiled at his father. "Cause I'm here too."

Alister faced Rolin and smiled. "How could anyone forget you?"

"You'd be surprised." Rolin shrugged, a smirk on his face.

Alister stepped back and looked at the three before him. "My family…" He spread his arms and wrapped them around his wife and two sons. He smiled at all of them for a moment before turning and pulling Kori into the embrace. "My wife, sons...and daughter."

Montay grinned. "It's not just us anymore." He escaped his family's gathering and got Grace and Mac. "These are my children." He hugged his children. "My daughter Grace and my son Malcolm." Grace waved weakly while Mac just smiled.

Rolin did the same. "My wife, Astrid. My son, Zeon. And my daughters Harper and Ginny." 16-year-old Genie corrected her father on her name, again.

Kori smiled. "Let's complete the set." She grabbed her family. "My husband, Ratchet. My daughters Claire, Liza, and Rosalyn. My sons Franklin, Ian, and Orion. My grandson, He-Who-Is-Yet-To-Be-Named." And she looked off to the room where Kaden had been hiding. "And my father-in-law. Kaden."

Alister stopped, his smile faded, and looked at Kori. "Kaden?"

Kaden finally came out of hiding and smiled at his oldest friend. "Hello, Alister." He nodded. "I have a lot to apologize for, I know."

Alister approached his friend. "I thought you were dead." Disbelief in his eyes and voice.

"I believed that was the right thing to do." Kaden nodded. "Talia is still angry with me about that."

Alister grinned slyly. "How is Talia?"

"Talia is Talia." Kaden smiled. "She is in the Lombax Dimension, I'm sure fawning over stills of the newest addition to our family."

Alister embraced his oldest friend. "You got old." He patted Kaden on the back.

"Not all of us can be kept in a state that keeps them the same age for 30 years." Kaden embraced his friend back. "Besides I like being a great grandpa, though my good eye is going bad and my joints aren't what they used to be." He smiled and grabbed Ratchet's shoulder. "But I've got my boy."

Ratchet grinned at Kaden and Alister, both men vastly important to him. A reunion thought never to happen, nothing but a far off and distant dream. Claire saw her father and grandfather so stupidly happy to be reunited with their friend and comrade. She smiled up at Orion when he wrapped his arm around her and gently rubbed their baby's ears. Claire looked out at the faces of her family and one face stuck out, Grace. Grace was hunched over, holding her stomach, and frowning.

"Grace," Claire escaped Orion, handed Baby to her mother, and approached Grace. "Are you okay?" This attracted Astrid and Rolin's attention, Astrid making her way to Claire and Grace.

Montay looked down at his daughter as she held her stomach and grimaced. "Grace?"

"I'm just…. experiencing some discomfort." Grace tried to smile for her father. She slipped out of her father's embrace to sit down on the couch behind them. "I'm sure it'll pass."

Claire frowned. "Why don't you lay down in our room, Grace?" She and Astrid helped Grace to stand, led Grace to the room and Orion helped her settle in. Giving her lots of pillows.

"Relax, Grace." Astrid smiled. "I'm sure you'll feel better after some rest." Grace smiled weakly and nodded.

Claire smiled at her family. "Why don't we all leave the house and show Grandpa Alister around Fastoon? I'm sure it's different from when he saw it last." She grabbed the baby back from her mother. "And give Grace some peace and quiet so she can rest."

Kori assured Montay. "I'll stay here with Grace."

"No." Montay shook his head, smiling. "She's my daughter, I'll take care of her." He put his hand on Kori's shoulder. "Go show Dad your work, and don't let Kaden take any credit for your hard work."

Kaden crossed his arms and smirked at the siblings. "Like I would take credit for what your sister has done."

"Maybe not Kori," Becca smiled. "But I remember you taking credit for something Alister had done."

Alister turned to Kaden. "Yeah." He smirked and crossed his arms. "I do remember something like that."

Mac, Genie, Harper, and Rosie rushed up to their grandparents. "Tell us!"

"You don't want to hear that old story." Kaden held up his hands, shaking his head.

Kori held her finger to her lips. "Tell it elsewhere, Grace is trying to rest."

Montay waved goodbye to everyone as they were excited to show off Fastoon's reconstruction and hear the story about Grandpa Kaden. He went to check on her a couple times, she didn't sleep and she laid in the bed trembling. Montay slowly approached his daughter and sat next to her on the bed. "Grace if you need to go back home…"

Grace shook her head and tried to smile at her father. "No, just help me up." Montay helped her to the bathroom and waited for her to call him to help her back. But...Grace didn't call him. Not for what seemed like too long.

Montay opened the door and saw his daughter's legs covered in blood, sitting on the bathroom floor. "Grace?" He whispered.

Grace smiled at her father through tear filled eyes. "I'm sorry, Dad. I…." She picked up a towel bundle she had hidden behind her, revealing two baby lombaxes. "I didn't know."

Montay dropped to his knees and slowly crawled to his daughter. "Are they…?" He breathed.

Grace smiled and let her tears fall. "They're alive but they're small." She gently laid them on her stomach. "They're breathing."

Montay's hands trembled. It felt like his mind was frozen. His daughter just had twins, that they had no idea she was pregnant with. "I don't understand how this could happen."

"Lance is never going to believe me." Grace laughed, rubbing her eyes. "How am I going to tell him?"

Montay touched his daughter's face, rubbing her cheek with his thumb. "How are we going to tell your cousin you had twins in her bathroom?" He smiled at her. Montay touched the twins, part of him wanted to make sure they were real. They weren't identical, one was white like Grace and the other was grey like Lance. "Make sure you remember which one was born first, I'll be right back."

"Dad, wait!" Grace tried to stop her father to ask before he ran off. She took a deep breath and looked at her babies.

Her babies. Grace's mind raced at the thought of becoming a mother. Or that she just became a mother, rather.

Montay ran to find Kori, one of the times he would visit Fastoon he had to get himself a pair of hoverboots. She was walking next to their father, but Montay grabbed her and attracted the attention of their father. "Grace needs to go back to the Lombax Dimension." He got out through gasps of breath. Montay was never in shape but it didn't help he was now well into his 60s.

Alister frowned. "What's wrong with her?"

"Not her, her babies." Montay held his knees, bent over gasping.

Kori gasped. "Grace is pregnant?"

"Not anymore," Montay shook his head. "She just had them."

Kori looked at her father, and Alister just gave his daughter a firm nod. Kori grabbed her brother's hand and took him back to the house. Kori ran to check on Grace. She stopped when she saw all the blood. "Are you and the babies alright, Grace?" Kori knelt down next to her niece and covered her and the babies with a free towel.

"They may need supportive care." Grace smiled and rubbed the white baby's back.

Kori smiled at her niece and helped her pack up herself and the babies. Montay got the portal ready by the time Grace was ready to go. He quickly got his daughter to the hospital in the Lombax Dimension. Grace's boyfriend, Lance, was called and he got there faster than Montay thought he would.

Lance quickly found Montay and nearly mowed him down. "Where's Grace?" He asked. "Is she okay? What's wrong?" The young lombax had grey fur, dark eyes, and dark stripes. "Am I too late?"

"She's fine," Montay nearly laughed at Lance's wording. "But there is something that Grace needs to tell you." He led the younger lombax to Grace's room, but Lance was so preoccupied with worrying about Grace he didn't realize they were in Maternity.

Grace perked up when she saw Lance, and she smiled when he greeted her with a kiss. He was just relieved that Grace was okay. Grace started to explain but before she could get to the good part a knock came at the door. Montay pushed Lance onto the bed next to Grace, forcing him to sit down.

Two nurses pushed in two little baby beds with the twins in them. Lance looked at Grace before he looked at the babies. Grace smiled at him. "Like I was saying, I was visiting my cousins when I received a surprise." She smiled at Montay. "Two surprises, really."

Lance swallowed. "So...these are…?" He pointed at the babies, hands shaking.

Montay patted Lance on the back. "These are your sons," Montay smiled at the two small babies wrapped in blue, "A surprise to us all."

Lance began to feel lightheaded, he held his head in his hands. "You mean to tell me…" He looked at Grace. "That me….and you…?"

Grace nodded. "Yup."

"Why didn't you...tell me?" Lance's hands shook.

"Because I didn't know." Grace smiled sympathetically.

Lance took a deep breath and looked at the twins. "I'm….I'm…." He processed, starting to smile. "I'm a father. I'm a father..." Lance started to laugh. "I'm a father!"

"Yeah, thanks." Montay laughed. "Making me a grandfather."

Grace smiled at Lance. "Are you okay?"

Lance took a couple deep breaths. "Am I okay?" He said, looking at her. "I should ask if you're okay. You just gave birth to twins, unassisted at your cousin's house." Lance smiled. "I should be in awe of you, mother of my children. That feels weird to say," He grabbed Grace's hands. "But it's true. I wanted to marry you before Grace but now-"

"Wait," Grace laughed. "You want to marry me?"

Lance rubbed the back of his neck, laughing nervously. "If you'd agree to it, I'd marry you right now." He kissed her. "And I knew today would be a good day."

Montay shook his head, smiling. "Lance, why don't you get to hold one of your sons first?"

"Can I?" Lance turned quickly to Montay, excited.

"You made them," Montay laughed and grabbed the white one, the marked firstborn, and gave the baby to Lance. He gently picked up the grey one and gave it to Grace. "You should get to hold them."

Lance and Grace smiled at each other and the babies in their arms. Lance kissed Grace and whispered to her. "I can't believe it, we're parents."

An old maintenance man walked past the room and threw a handful of confetti in the air as he walked by. "Mazel Tov."

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 **Thank you so much for reading! Please, leave me a review. I won't be offended, there is always room for improvement lol. I really hope you enjoyed it, and I'll see you next chapter!**


	2. The Gauntlet is Passed

**Welcome back! Hope you're enjoying the story. Here is our next chapter, all ready for you all. Please enjoy, remember to leave a like and a review.**

 **All non-canon characters are mine.**

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As time passed, it seemed the years slowly caught up with Alister and as his great-grandson, the newly named Simon with Azimuth red stripes and his father's brown eyes came to be a month old his age had caught up with him. Becca still told him how handsome he was to her with every red hair that turned grey or white.

Kaden caught Alister up on everything, spending their days together, taking turns holding the Sleeping Simon. Becca just couldn't go back to the Lombax Dimension, she could not leave Alister again.

They were sitting outside, talking, 3-month-old Simon on Alister's chest when Rosie came out of the house to her grandparents. "Grandpa Alister," she smiled wide and innocently.

"Watch yourself, Alister," Kaden whispered loudly to him. "This one wants something."

Rosie stuck her tongue out at Kaden for a moment before grinning at Alister again. Alister smiled at Kaden before addressing his granddaughter. "Yes, Miss Rosie? What do we need?"

Rosie smiled her biggest smile. "Can you teach me how to use hoverboots?" She gave him her biggest and most innocent eyes. "Like you taught Daddy?"

"If I remember, Rosie," Alister grinned, soothing the complaining infant on his chest, "your mother said you can't learn to use your hoverboots until your feet are done growing."

Rosie folded her hands and pouted. "They're done, I promise." She pleaded, ignoring the smiling Kaden whom she had asked the previous weeks.

Becca smiled at her youngest granddaughter. "We won't know if they truly are done growing for a while, sweetheart." Rosie pouted bigger.

Claire came out of the house and smiled at her littlest sister. "Rosie, what are you asking the Elders for now?" Rosie frowned, mumbled an excuse before she ran off. Claire rolled her eyes and turned to her grandparents. "Any complaints from the tiny one?"

"None more than usual." Alister smiled and surrendered Simon to his mother.

Claire gently held her baby, checking him over. "It feels so strange to have three babysitters available." She smiled at Becca. "And I missed having a grandmother."

"I just worry about Grace with her babies." Becca nodded and grasped Alister's hand.

Alister smiled at Becca. "She's an Azimuth, isn't she?"

"And she has Uncle Montay." Claire shrugged and handed the baby to Kaden. "Lance, Mac, Uncle Rolin, Aunt Astrid, Harper, Genie, and Franklin."

Kaden gently rocked the infant. "How are you doing without Orion?"

"Anything from him and your father lately?" Becca asked.

Claire sighed sadly and turned to the empty landing pad. "It feels like it's been forever." She had grown used to worrying about her father, but with her father trying to retire he needed someone to take over for him. Claire held back her tears, returning to look at her grandparents. "I know it won't take them long."

Simon started to cry and fuss in Kaden's arms. Kaden ran a diagnostic and got up to get the baby a bottle. Becca smiled sadly at Claire. "Your mother knows how you feel, Claire. She's had to do this many times before."

Alister looked to Becca for a moment before looking to Claire. "Plus they are lombaxes, we are a race of warriors. They'll be home, victorious, before you know it." He grinned.

"Right." Claire sighed. Kaden came back, Simon appeased with a bottle in his mouth. Claire smiled at her grandparents, trusting them to take care of her baby. She kissed them each on the cheek, kissed her baby on the head, and went back to her work perfecting the water retrieval and purification system for Fastoon.

Fastoon's population was still small at 11, including Ratchet and Orion, but Grace promised that the twins would return to their birthplace once they were sure that they could live without constant medical attention. Lance even excited about moving to Fastoon.

Becca smiled at her husband. "I never thought I would see you again, Alister." She looked forward toward where Zeon had taken a break and was entertaining young Rosie (so Ian could work without being bothered). "Or this place….our home."

Alister laughed a little before kissing his wife's hand. "Nor I you." He nodded toward Kaden. "Neither of you."

Kaden took a deep breath and put down the baby bottle. "Times have changed. Once upon a time, this place was deprived of life, but now after all these years life returns to it." He handed Simon to Alister to burp him. "To think our families would be the ones to bring this place back."

Alister took the child, put him on his shoulder, and gently patted 3-month-old Simon's back. "I still regret not listening to you, Kaden."

Becca smiled sadly at Alister. "You were trying to protect us, Alister." She placed her hand on his arm. "Everyone makes mistakes."

Alister looked to his wife. "Not everyone's mistakes result in the near destruction of their race." He brought Simon down from his shoulder to lay on his chest. Little Simon smiled at Alister and reached for the old Lombax's nose.

Kaden sighed and slowly got up to put the bottle away. "All of us have regrets, Alister." He looked at his friend. "All of us have past mistakes, just know that without you we wouldn't have what we have now."

Becca moved Alister's face toward hers. "Yes, our past might be dark in places but what matters now is how bright the future is." She tickled Simon's cheek. "And you don't have to look far to find it. Just right down your nose." Simon giggled on Alister's chest and looked into his great grandfather's eyes with a smile on his face.

Alister smiled weakly at Simon. "I should have been there for our children, Becca. To help them and watch them grow up."

Kaden frowned and nodded. "I should have too." He left to go back into the house to put the bottle away.

Becca looked at Kaden and Alister. "Yes, it happened. It's done now." She stood and spread out her arms. "I had to move on quickly because I had two sons and an infant daughter to take care of by myself, worrying my ears off that my husband would be hunted down and killed by a mass murderer." She frowned at Alister. "Kori and Claire have lost their husbands temporarily. I lost mine permanently until just recently." Becca looked away. "To have our little girl grow up listening to stories about her father but not once having seen him…."

"Mom." Kori had appeared at the door. She frowned at her parents.

Alister sat up and adjusted Simon. "Kori, I-"

Kori raised her hands. "Please, let me." She gently took Simon from Alister and gave him to the returning Kaden. Kori helped her father up and grasped her mother's hand. She took her parents for a walk. "I did not truly feel deprived growing up, it wasn't until I had grown up that I realized that something was missing from my life." Kori took a deep breath. "I mourned the loss of a father I never knew. I mourned the loss of a mother I thought lost to me."

Alister couldn't look at his daughter, he just walked next to her. He frowned at the ground. Becca sighed and squeezed her daughter's hand. Kori smiled softly. "I let go of what I couldn't change and embraced what I could. I may not have been able to get rid of our past but I've worked to build up to a bigger and better future." She smiled at her father.

Becca sighed and looked at her daughter. "We were hurt by our past, something that can be very hard to get past."

"In bad times," Alister took a deep breath. "And in good times."

Kori wrapped her arms around her parents. "I know many things were before my time, I know that they hurt." She smiled weakly. "I'll never truly know the hurt you had to endure, but like any daughter, to her parents, I am willing to understand." Kori brought Becca and Alister to the Court of Azimuth. "And try to help you remember that the past is written but it is up to us to write the future."

Alister took his daughter and wife in his arms. "I'm going to have to get used to being a father again."

"And grandfather, and great-grandfather." Kori smiled. "We'll help you though."

Becca kissed Alister on the cheek. "I've dreamed of growing old with you, Alister."

Kori smirked to herself and escaped her parents. "I'm going to leave you two alone, to reconcile." She kissed them each on the cheek. "Don't have too much fun, or stay out too late."

Alister looked into Becca's eyes and smiled, waving Kori away. Becca laughed and gently grasped Alister's hand inside her own.

Kori smiled and turned to see a ship coming in. Her heart skipped a beat, immediately running toward the landing ship. She made it see a battered and bruised Orion come out and land into the arms of Claire. Ratchet took a bit longer but he still made it to Kori.

Ratchet held her in his arms, promising he wouldn't go on any more missions. He was officially retired. "I'm ready to be a full-time husband, son, father, and grandfather." Ratchet held Kori close, smiling.

Kori put her hand on his cheek and smiled at him. "About time." She rested her head gently on his shoulder.

Claire got Simon from Kaden to show him to Orion. Orion grinned and took baby Simon. "Look at you, you've gotten bigger!" He kissed his son's forehead and held Simon close. "And you have your Mommy's stripes and my eyes."

Claire smiled sadly and rubbed some blood off Orion's chin. "Oh, Orion….you're bleeding."

"Comes with the job," Orion kissed Claire's cheek. "But right now I just want to be with both of you." Orion wrapped his arm around Claire, holding the two most precious things to him close to his heart. Baby Simon looked up his parents and smiled a sweet smile.

Having a baby around made everything feel like it was going on fast forward. Little Simon was 7 months old when his Aunt Liza came home officially from her year away, Lance got to see his first look at Fastoon, and announced that his sons Dante and Duncan were doing well. But it was on the twins' first birthday Grace and Lance made the move. Becca and Alister now had three great-grandchildren. Little Dante had his mother's white color, father's dark stripes and eyes. Tiny Duncan had his father's grey color, his mother's orange stripes, and yellow eyes.

And unfortunately for Alister, he had gained the habit of falling asleep if left to sit too long, just like Kaden. There were plenty of afternoons of Rosie sneaking out behind her grandfathers and scaring the daylights out of them. She found this great fun.

Though it is to mention that Lance, Grace and the twins didn't come to Fastoon alone. Lance's lovely older sister Celeste came with them. She and Lance shared their dark grey color, but she had green eyes and pale white stripes.

Rosie had been forcing Zeon to play with her when the portal opened. Franklin escorted the group through but it was as if the world stopped for Zeon the moment he saw Celeste. Her short cropped hair, her dark color fur, and her soft and gentle face shape made Zeon forget about the littlest tyrant for a touch too long.

"Zeon!" Rosie complained. "Zeon!" She pouted and stomped her foot.

Zeon barely heard Rosie. "Yeah, in a minute Rosie." He waved at the little girl. He approached the group, all smiles. "Welcome to Fastoon."

Grace smirked at her cousin, holding light colored Dante. "Zeon, I've been here before." She teased.

Lance looked at Grace before smiling at Zeon. "Thanks for the welcome but we already know our way around." He adjusted dark colored Duncan in his arms.

Franklin nodded. "And I'm not staying." Celeste covered her mouth and tried not to laugh.

Zeon wanted to hurt his cousins that day. He smiled at Grace. "Charming as always, Grace." Zeon turned to Lance. "Good to see you again, Lance." He glared at Franklin. "Franklin." Zeon then turned to Celeste. "But I do believe I am yet to make your acquaintance, Miss." He smiled and held out his hand.

"Zeon!" Rosie complained again. "Ian said you're supposed to play with me." The little girl stomped her feet and frowned deeply at Zeon.

Zeon had never wanted to hurt a seven-year-old (besides his sisters) before but Rosie tempted him.

"Zeon, Rosie wants you." Grace laughed and led the group away. Franklin followed and guided Celeste away from Zeon.

Celeste winked at Zeon. "Catch you later." She purred to him.

Zeon waved until they were out of view but then broke his composure. He groaned and pulled his shirt over his face to hide. "My parents are right, Rosie." He moaned and belly ached. "I'm going to be single forever."

Rosie poked her cousin hard in the forehead. "What's your problem? Do you like her or something?"

Zeon pulled his shirt back down and knelt down to look Rosie in the eye. "Don't say a word, Rosie." He pointed his finger in the little girl's face.

Rosie was serious for a moment before she started to giggle. "You do like her!" She teased. "You like her, you like her!" The little girl skipped around her cousin, singing this phrase over and over.

Zeon groaned and tried to catch the little girl as she skipped around. "Rosie, I swear to all things good if you tell anyone-"

"Hey."

Rosie and Zeon quickly spun around to see Celeste behind them. Rosie started to giggle but Zeon quickly grabbed her and put his hand over her mouth. He stood back up, with his best smile, hand firmly over Rosie's mouth. "Hey," he replied, trying to be smooth.

Celeste laughed a little before smiling at Zeon. "I'm Celeste." She stuck out her hand to him.

Zeon laughed nervously before he extended his free hand and shook her hand. "Zeon."

"I know." Celeste giggled. "Grace has told me all about you." She held up her hands, smiling. "All good things."

Zeon tried to not die inside. He started a nervous laugh again before Rosie put an entire mouthful of spit into his palm. Zeon quickly removed his hand from her mouth, almost cursing, but the seven-year-old was off. "Rosalyn Olympic wait until I tell Aunt Kori!" He yelled at the little girl.

Little Rosie just giggled and kept running, trying to get away from Zeon and get to the safety of her mother.

Celeste smiled and covered her mouth with her hand for a moment. "Your cousin I take it?"

Zeon recovered himself and clean off his hand. "Yeah, cute kid." He smiled wide. "Though her nephew, Simon, is cuter."

Celeste raised an eyebrow. "Nah, my nephews are cuter." She smirked.

"I can't compete with that," Zeon shrugged. "All I have are sisters, parents, cousins, aunts, uncles, and my cousins' children."

Celeste moved closer to him. "I don't want to compete." She bit her lip and smiled. "I hear you write music."

Zeon felt his heart rate rise. "Not anything, you know, recently." He cleared his throat. "Too busy keeping a pain occupied so her brother can work."

"Right, too busy with your day job," Celeste smirked. "If you have any of it with you I'd love to check it out." She brushed her bangs back. "And maybe I'll show you mine if you show me yours."

Zeon had to swallow a lump in his throat. "You write music?"

"It's more of a hobby." Celeste giggled. "Nothing special, you know."

Zeon nodded dumbly. "Yeah, me too." He laughed nervously and took a step back from Celeste.

Celeste closed in on him. "I should probably tell you that your aunt sent me out here to get you," she smiled and winked. "Dinner is waiting." Celeste walked away and Zeon followed her like a lost puppy.

Their dinner table had grown significantly since it was just Ratchet, Kaden, and Kori. But everyone had a place and the entire lombax population still fit around a dinner table, a large one but still a dinner table. Celeste sat next to her brother and Zeon sat next to her. Simon and the twins in their highchairs, next to their respective parents.

The conversation was normal 'how is the work on the irrigation system going', that kind of thing until it was realized that Montay had not come to see Grace off to Fastoon. Franklin had.

"Where is your father?" Kori asked, cutting her grandson's food into small pieces.

Becca looked at Grace, concerned. "Is your father alright? Surely he wouldn't miss you leaving."

Grace and Lance smiled at each other. Grace nodded. "He's fine, something came up that needed his attention," Lance muttered that they hoped he would get home late. Grace lightly elbowed him, giggling.

Zeon leaned over the table to look at Grace. "Wait a minute…" He smiled. "Is your dad on a date?"

Grace tried to hide her smile. "Not a date, he told us." She tapped her fingernails on the table. "Just an 'outing' with an attractive lombax his own age, at a very nice restaurant."

Lance smirked. "Just the two of them, a quiet evening." He nodded. "As one does."

Claire perked up. "Please tell me you made him go." She smiled but returned her attention to Simon as he cried for her.

Celeste nodded. "I was helping get the twins ready," She added. "They all but pushed him out the door and told him not to worry."

Zeon cheered before coming back down, trying to not embarrass himself in front of Celeste yet still act normally around his family. "It's been so long, your Dad needs to have fun sometime."

"It's been almost 13 years." Becca smiled and rested her hand on her heart. "Montay deserves more happiness in his life, he works so hard to make others happy."

Alister looked around before asking. "What happened to your mother?"

Grace waved her hand. "He left my mother years ago." She shrugged one shoulder. "He wanted better for us, so he packed up Mac and I and left."

"It was hard." Becca nodded and put her hand on Alister's. "But it was what was best for Mac and Grace."

Grace nodded. "It really was." She folded up her long sleeves to her armpits, and on the entire lengths of her arms were massive faded scars. "Scars are on all of us," She shrugged, holding out her arms. "Some more physical than others."

Lance smiled sadly and grabbed Grace's elbow. "But with time, scars fade. Healing takes time and others who are willing to be with us."

Grace smiled and rolled her sleeves back down. "Dad was there for me and Mac whenever we needed him." She looked at Alister, smiling wide. "It took a long time for his scars from my mother to heal, so if he's ready to open his heart to romantic love again then I'll stand behind him and be there for him if he needs me."

Kori looked at everyone around the table. "We all will." She smiled.

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 **Thank you for reading! Don't forget to leave me a review, I'd love to know what you think. Alright, I'm off my soapbox lol. See you next chapter!**


	3. Grumpy Old Lombaxes

**Welcome back! Hope you are enjoying the story. Leave a review, pretty please. I'll be quiet now so you can read the story. Have fun!**

 **All non-canon characters are mine.**

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"Back when I was a Lieutenant in the Praetorian Guard," Alister nodded. "I met this lovely female Lombax named Penelope."

Rosie bounced in her spot in front of Alister and Kaden. Her little nephew Simon, and cousins Dante and Duncan sat next to her. "You knew Grandma Penelope, Grandpa Alister?" The little Lombax smiled big and clapped her hands together.

"Knew her?" Alister smiled. "I introduced her to your Grandpa Kaden." He lightly elbowed Kaden.

Kaden rolled his eyes. "And I introduced you to Becca." Kaden elbowed Alister back, smiling.

"For that I am grateful." Alister nodded again, still smiling. "But this is my story, so quiet down." Kaden rolled his eyes again, Rosie giggled but they quieted down so Alister could continue with his story.

Alister cleared his throat and little Rosie hugged her knees, trying to stop her bouncing. "Anyway," Alister looked at Kaden and Rosie, "as I was saying. I knew a lovely Lombax named Penelope and I knew she was the one for Grandpa Kaden."

"What was your first clue?" Kaden snickered. "That she could beat you up in a sparring match?"

Alister shushed Kaden, but Rosie already giggled. "She may have beat me in our first match but when we had visitor's day I invited you instead of my own parents so you could meet her."

"Ah, yes," Kaden smiled, throwing back his head a little bit. "I remember. She beat you to a pulp."

Alister smiled himself. "That she did. But your face when you met her." He leaned in to his granddaughter. "You'd think he got tranquilized."

"Don't listen to this old blowhard, Rosie," Kaden lightly hit Alister's arm, smirking. "I did not."

Alister laughed, he turned back to Kaden. "Yes you did, you couldn't talk. I had to save you from drowning in your own embarrassment."

"Let's talk about you and Becca." Kaden teased. "You hit it off so well that you accidentally made Montay."

Rosie waved her hands to her grandfathers. "What do you mean?" She looked at them like they were speaking another language.

The two old Lombaxes looked at Rosie, they had forgotten about the little ears. Alister smiled and patted Rosie on the head. "You'll learn about that stuff when you're older, kid."

"I was an accident." Rosie smiled again. "Franklin told me."

Kaden nodded. "A happy accident." He smiled at the little ones. "Let's go see if Mom has dinner ready."

"Yeah!" Rosie cheered and ran into the house. The old lombaxes glanced at each other before getting the toddlers.

Kaden stood and picked up Simon. "Up we go, tiny one." He grabbed Simon's toy wrench while he waited for Alister.

"Dante, Duncan." Alister smiled at the twins. He got up and staggered a bit, his hand going to his chest to settle his sudden heart rate increase. The old Lombax stood still and waited for his heart to settle down.

Kaden frowned at his friend. "You alright, Alister?" Simon whined and Kaden gave the tiny whiner his toy wrench, which he almost immediately hit Kaden with.

"Yeah," Alister smiled weakly. "Just a little excited I guess." He took slow deep breaths for a few moments before he smiled stronger at Kaden again.

Kaden still frowned. "Let me get the twins. You can have this delight." He protected his head from being hit by the toy wrench again.

"Nonsense." Alister waved off Kaden. "I can handle two buggers." He slowly bent down and picked up the two little boys, carefully adjusting them once they were in his arms. "Up, up, up." He got back up with the two little kids.

Kaden shook his head. "You're not that young anymore, Alister."

"Don't worry about me." Alister nodded.

Kaden followed Alister into the house. "It's my job as your friend."

"I'm fine." Alister insisted, putting the twins in their respective highchairs. "Nothing is wrong."

Kaden put Simon in his high chair. "You say that but I remember when you broke your arm and didn't tell anyone."

"I did not break my arm." Alister laughed, sitting at the table. "That was you."

Kaden sat across from Alister, trying to remember. "Was it?" One of them had broken their arm at some point but who it was and when escaped him.

"Kaden, my friend," Alister smirked. "You are getting old."

Kaden smirked back. "So are you, you old blowhard."

"You both are." Kori came in with dinner and Rosie following behind her.

Rosie sat next to her mother and Grandpa Kaden since the twins took up more space then Simon. The little girl served herself, trying to make as little mess as she could. Alister and Kori fed Dante and Duncan while Kaden fed Simon.

Once dinner was done Kori packed up dinners to take to the other Lombaxes out and about working on the planet. Alister helped his daughter, as Kaden watched the little ones and taught Rosie how to build a closed circuit and soothed three toddlers teething with their top incisors.

Kori and Alister took off on their hoverboots, acting as a delivery service. Claire was working on the irrigation system, so Alister tossed her dinner up to her.

"Thanks, General Grandpa." Claire saluted before taking a break to eat dinner. "How is my baby?" She sat up on a pipeline that carried their water.

Alister smiled up at Claire. "Like his mother, noisy and restless."

"He's teething." Claire shrugged.

Kori teased her daughter, hands on her hips. "What's your excuse?"

"I got a teething toddler." Claire smiled. Alister laughed and shook his head.

Kori sighed and pointed at her daughter. "Don't work too late, don't let Orion come home before you."

"I'm underground." Claire laughed, gesturing to the door that led out. "Orion, Dad, and Grandma Becca are above ground."

Alister rested his hand on Kori's shoulder, smiling. He looked up at Claire. "Listen to your mother, young lady." Alister winked at his granddaughter. "You know how much Kaden can't wait to hand over your little troublemaker back to you."

"Yeah." Claire swung her feet a little, smiling. "He got something from his dad." She nodded. "I'll have dinner, finish up for the day, and come home before Orion."

Kori grinned. "Good girl." She nodded to her father. "Let's let her get back to work."

"Yeah, thanks." Claire saluted again from her perch.

Alister led his daughter away, following her lead on route to the deliveries. He imagined his daughter younger, and him being there for her. If The Great War had never happened, if the Lombaxes never had to leave. How his children interacted when they were young, how Montay reacted to getting another younger sibling, and Rolin becoming a big brother himself. The old lombax was so lost in his imaginings that he didn't notice Kori had left his line of sight.

Would he have taught his children how to use hoverboots as Kori and Ratchet had? Alister had to assume he would have, to prepare his children for all that could happen. If he hadn't trusted Tachyon none of this would have happened. He would have met his daughter when she was born. He would have been different. He wouldn't have been alone for all those years.

Alister looked up and realized he lost his daughter, temporarily losing himself in his wonderings. He took a deep breath and wondered if their old house survived the pillaging. Alister looked around for a moment before he turned away to find out.

He hadn't been to the old house since before he was exiled, he didn't have the heart to see if anything of their old life survived.

The building still stood, falling apart but it still stood. Alister entered cautiously, looking around for remnants of his former life.

What was their dining room was destroyed, the table overturned and windows blasted out. Becca had never liked living in the center of the city, so they lived toward the outer part. Close enough to the base and the research facility so Alister still could come home to tuck their boys in at night.

Alister took a step and something lightly crunched under his foot. He lifted his foot to find a child's drawing underneath. Alister picked it up and saw it was dirty and had footprints all over it but the drawing was still there.

It was a little drawing of their family. 5-year-old Montay had drawn this picture, it wasn't perfect but it warmed Alister's heart. In Montay's crude little handwriting it had Daddy, Mommy, Me, and Roli. Alister couldn't help but smile, he carefully folded up the drawing and saved it.

He moved onto the living room, which also had signs of being ransacked. Furniture overturned, possessions tossed to and fro, some even destroyed. Few survived. A small keepsake of Rolin's hand at birth, Montay's nursery school toy wrench, and the book Alister had purchased to commemorate the milestones of Kori. Alister smiled at each of these, happy they survived the carnage.

Alister moved about the house, finding echoes of his family amongst the destruction. He wanted to bring it all back with him, but more things survived than he had hoped. Alister dug in the rubble and carnage in the hope to find some old stills that Becca had especially hidden away, to keep them safe from "messy boys" (their sons and himself).

The old lombax fell to his knees but kept digging. Alister just had to find them.

A sudden thud made Alister stop, and he turned toward the noise to find a familiar box. He gently picked up this box and entered in the code he knew by heart. When the little box opened, though rusted and worse for wear, Alister finally let go of a breath he didn't know he had been holding.

Inside he saw the still he and Becca had taken on their first date (her kissing his cheek), him holding Montay for the first time, Newborn Montay curled up on Becca's chest, a beautiful sketch Penelope had done of their first kiss as husband and wife, Kaden and him posing with Montay and newborn Rolin, and finally the sketch of Kaden, Penelope, Becca, and Alister before any kids had entered the picture. There were more but he heard some noise outside.

"Dad!" Alister heard Kori's voice. "Dad, where are you?"

He packed up the box and the few things he had found, trying to hide them on his person. Alister slowly got up from the ground, and very carefully exited the house and went looking for his own search party.

Kori scanned the area until she finally caught sight of him. She sighed with relief before gently hugging him. "There you are, you had me worried." Kori rested her chin on her father's shoulder.

"I'm fine." Alister hugged Kori back. "I'm here now."

Kori pulled away a little to look Alister in the eye. "What are you doing out here?" She frowned a little. "I almost sent Ratchet out after you, in case you left the planet."

"Just remembering something." Alister smiled, resting his hands on her upper arms. "Don't worry so much."

Kori raised an eyebrow and dropped her chin. "Have you met your granddaughter, Claire? As an infant that butt caused so many almost heart attacks."

"Something she got from her father." Alister grinned. "Did you finish the deliveries?"

Kori gasped at the sudden realization. "No." She looked at Alister in surprise. "When I noticed you were missing I went looking for you."

"Sorry." Alister grinned. "Let's finish the deliveries."

Kori nodded and grabbed her father's hand. "I'm not losing you again," she turned and pulled Alister along. "I'm holding your hand like I have to for my children."

"Kori." Alister laughed but let her pull him.

Kori shook her head. "Don't even think about it." She smiled though deep down Kori had been terrified. She still felt like she just got her father, Kori never wanted to lose him again.

While she teased her father about holding his hand it felt good to have a solid confirmation that Alister was there. She never wanted to think about her family falling apart again, not when she had the ability to keep it together.

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 **Thanks for reading! I really hope you enjoyed it. Please, leave me a review. That'd be awesome. Thank you so much, again, and I will see you next chapter. Bye!**


	4. Daughters to Fathers

**Welcome back! I hope you are enjoying the story so far. Please feel free to tell me what you think! I'd love to know! But right now, please enjoy the next chapter!**

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Claire walked up to the garage Ratchet and Orion took over. She smiled at what she saw, her father and husband looking over blueprints for updates and tune-ups for Orion's ship. Her father's ship, Aphelion, was being checked by Becca, a former ship engineer. The two were carrying on a lovely conversation about the two boneheads on the other side of the garage.

Orion noticed Claire and put their work on pause. "Hey, trouble." He smiled, wrapping his arms around Claire.

"Hey, stinker." Claire smiled and turned in his embrace so her back rested against his chest. "You sound like my mother."

Orion faked a wince. "Never thought I'd hear my wife say that." He kissed the back of her head. "I know you don't need help with anything, so what are you doing here?"

"No reason." Claire hummed and swayed in Orion's arms. "I just wanted to show you how I finished work before you."

Orion laughed and kissed Claire's cheek. "And I'm getting more behind because you're distracting me." He lightly squeezed Claire before letting her go. "You're a dirty cheat."

"You married me." Claire smiled and gently ran her fingers under Orion's chin, pulling him back. "And I know all your weaknesses."

Ratchet called from the garage, scolding her. "Claire, surrender my assistant."

"Assistant?" Orion raised an eyebrow at Ratchet. "Since when am I your assistant?" He finally got his mind back on work and reentered the garage, back to Ratchet's side. Claire followed behind him, to see what they were really working on.

Ratchet glanced at Orion. "When you married my daughter." He focused on the blueprints before him. "And since you keep getting distracted by her."

"She is sneaky." Orion smiled, letting Claire wrap her arms around his waist. "To which she should get home and see the other man in her life."

Claire shrugged. "Grandpa Kaden can handle Simon for a little longer."

"Reminder that we haven't had dinner yet," Ratchet nodded his head.

Claire let Orion go and got behind Ratchet. "Mom and Grandpa Alister haven't delivered your dinners yet?" She frowned, worried.

"Nope." Ratchet shook his head. "Haven't seen hide nor hair of your mother or grandfather."

Orion rubbed his brow and looked at Ratchet. "Do you think we should be concerned?"

"Nope." Ratchet nodded firmly. "I'm sure they're fine."

Claire still frowned. "Still."

"It's probably because your Grandpa Alister is old and she had to slow down for him." Ratchet shrugged.

"Old?" Alister smirked, entering the garage behind Kori. "Who are you calling old, Grandpa Ratchet?"

Ratchet smiled, leaving the blueprints to greet Kori. "You, Great Grandpa Alister." He kissed his wife on the cheek. "I was wondering where you were."

Kori looked to Alister for a moment. "Just taking the scenic route." She handed Ratchet, Orion, and Becca their dinners. Then Kori spotted Claire. "Excuse me, Missy, what are you doing here?"

Claire smiled innocently. "Just checking on my darling dopey husband."

"Dopey?" Orion raised an eyebrow. "Is this Pick On Orion Day?" He crossed his arms across his chest. "First your dad and this assistant nonsense, now my darling wife calls me dopey."

Ratchet set his dinner down at the work desk, smiling. "You're my assistant because you're easily distracted, now let's take our dinner break and Claire can go home."

"Feels good to be back in the garage?" Alister approached Becca and kissed her cheek in greeting. Claire complained she never got to see their work in the garage, so while they were eating dinner she was going to look around. Ratchet and Kori vetoed the idea.

Becca smiled. "You don't know how much." She gently rubbed Alister's back. "How are you feeling? Are you still experiencing palpitations?" Orion told Claire it was a good idea to rescue her grandfather and little sister from three teething toddlers.

"Every so often when I stand," Alister answered truthfully. Better to tell the truth than face the wrath of a lie. "I stood to pick up the twins earlier and Kaden saw."

Becca raised an eyebrow, her eyes scolding him. "You told him not to worry, didn't you?" She shook her head, sighing. "Oh, Alister." Becca frowned with concern, petting Alister's mutton chops. "We still don't know what effects you'll have from being frozen for all that time."

"I'm just glad I got more time with all of you." Alister smiled a little. He wrapped his arms around Becca. "I got to see you again." A sudden pain burst in Alister's chest, he let Becca go to hold his chest with both hands. He groaned in pain.

Becca gasped in surprise, grabbing onto Alister. "Alister!" She helped him stay vertical. "Alister, please."

"Dad!" Kori ran over to her parents, in a flurry of worry. Followed by Claire and Orion. "Dad, what's wrong?" Ratchet went around the back.

Alister tried to smile for Kori. "I'm fine, don't worry." The pain dulled but still knocked the breath out of him. "Just a little discomfort."

Ratchet came up behind Becca. "You're a liar and you know it." He rested his hand on Alister's shoulder. "We need to get you back to the house."

"I'm fine," Alister insisted, straightening up with relief and lowering his hands to his sides. "Just a minor upset." Becca gently grabbed Alister's face and made him look her in the eye.

"Please, Alister, I can't lose you again." She ran her fingers through his fur. "Let us take care of you."

Alister looked into Becca's eyes and relented. "Alright." He sighed.

"Thank you," Becca whispered and kissed his cheek.

Ratchet, Alister, and Becca got into Aphelion, granted they weren't flying far they still took the short trip back to Ratchet and Kori's house. Kori, Claire, and Orion got to the house first to call Franklin and Montay about getting a possible medical professional from the Lombax Dimension.

Montay was dating a nurse but he didn't quite trust her with the secret yet, so they got the next best thing.

"Hello, Alister." Talia, Commander in Chief Olympic, stood in Becca and Alister's bedroom door. She spoke flatly and didn't smile at her younger brother's friend.

Alister sat on the bed, even though Becca told him to lay down. "Talia." Alister nodded. "Good to see you." Talia didn't reply, she just came into the room and brought out the medical equipment that she brought with her. Without even speaking to Alister she prepped and stabbed him with a needle to take a blood sample.

"What did you and my darling brother do now?" Talia asked as she got a generous sample to take back with her.

Alister laughed weakly. "I'm just getting old." Talia nodded and took Alister's blood pressure. "One might think you're still mad at me, Talia."

"I'm not that subtle," Talia said flatly. "I'm still technically mad at you and Kaden for smashing my first beaker set." She put the stethoscope in her ears and to Alister's back. "Take deep breaths."

Alister laughed. "That wasn't my fault." He did as he was told, lest he had to get stabbed again with an angry Talia on the other end.

"Sure," Talia mumbled, unconvinced by Alister's compelling argument. She moved to listen to Alister's heart. Talia stayed there for a while before straightening up and taking the stethoscope out of her ears. "Okay, old fart, what's been causing your problems?"

Alister tried to play it off but Becca told the truth. Talia got back out her stethoscope and listened to Alister's heart as he stood up. There was a slight acceleration but nothing Talia was truly worried about. Though she was a scientist and not a doctor, Talia recommended that Alister take it easy with no heavy lifting. She would be back with the results of several blood tests and advice she could get from trusted colleagues.

Becca confined Alister to their bed, not to even help put the twins to bed, his favorite activity. Kori visited and sat on the bed next to her father. "How are you feeling?" She smiled sadly.

"Like a child in time out," Alister whispered to his daughter, smiling. "But even a General needs to listen to his wife."

Kori laughed a little. "Or the Hero of the Universe." She took Alister's hand, frowning a little bit. "Mom missed you when you were gone."

"I know." Alister nodded. "I missed her and all of you." He gently put his finger under Kori's chin. "I made a mistake, and my race and family had to pay the price."

Kori took a deep breath and raised her eyes to her father. "I was always told I would never get to meet you. But when Ratchet told me that he knew you…" She sighed and a tear ran down her face. "But you were already gone."

"I'm so sorry." Alister frowned and rubbed Kori's tear away. "If I could, I would go back and change everything."

Kori smiled sadly again. "I know." She took a deep breath and hugged her father. "I'm so glad that they were wrong."

"Me too." Alister smiled and hugged Kori back. "I just wish I had been there to be your father when you were growing up."

Kori laughed weakly. "I would have loved that but I love just having you here now."

Claire sat on the roof of her parent's house, Orion and Simon already in bed. She sighed and looked out on Fastoon, her home. The home of her family and her race. Would she let her son go to the Lombax Dimension if he wanted to? Would she be a good mother to Simon?

"Hey, kid." Ratchet sat down next to Claire on the roof.

Claire glanced at Ratchet for a moment. "Hey, Dad." She heaved a heavy sigh.

"What's wrong?" Ratchet smiled a little and lightly elbowed Claire.

Claire shrugged and swung her legs a little. "Nothing's wrong."

"Like I believe that." Ratchet laughed weakly, smoothing out Claire's ponytail. "As your father, I've known when something was wrong since you were born."

Claire scoffed and gave her father the stink eye. "That's not fair, I cried when I was a baby."

"Loudly, might I add." Ratchet smiled and elbowed Claire again. "You came out screaming your head off."

Claire rolled her eyes. "Okay, I really don't need to be reminded how I almost made Grandpa deaf when I was born." She sighed again and looked back out at Fastoon. "I've just been….thinking."

"Hopefully your brain hasn't overheated yet." Ratchet put his hand on Claire's forehead. He laughed as his hand was pushed away. "You know I'm kidding."

Claire smiled a little bit before she confessed. "I'm just worried about being a mom."

"You realize your son is already a year old." Ratchet raised an eyebrow.

Claire frowned. "Yeah, but the first year was basically just keeping him alive and happy." She kicked her feet weakly. "It wasn't easy, but it was much easier than teaching my son to be responsible and respectable."

"Simon's still a baby." Ratchet laughed. "Just wait until he's a teenager."

Claire sniffled and slumped her shoulders. "I'm just…scared." She turned away from Ratchet and curled up her knees to her chest. "I don't know if I'm doing something wrong by letting Grandpa Kaden watch him while I have to work. I don't know if Orion leaving so much will do something to his relationship with Simon."

"Claire," Ratchet smiled. "That's just being a parent." He pulled his daughter back, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "And if you're anything like your mother, you'll do fine."

Claire smiled weakly. "And like you."

"Your Uncle Clank had to talk me through changing your first diaper." Ratchet admitted. "So I don't know about me."

Claire laughed. "Really?"

"Your mother made fun of me." Ratchet laughed too, hugging Claire. "Your Uncle Clank made fun of me. Your Grandpa Kaden made fun of me." He put his head on Claire's, smiling. "But, Kid, being a parent is scary. You feel like you don't know what you're doing, and sometimes you really don't know." Ratchet gently rubbed Claire's upper arms. "I still don't know what I'm doing, and I'm a grandpa already."

Claire sighed and smiled. "Growing up I wished the universe didn't need you so much. I wanted you all to our family."

"Same here." Ratchet grinned. "You kids, your mom, Uncle Clank, and Grandpa were enough for me."

Claire turned around and hugged Ratchet. "I love you, Dad."

"I love you too." Ratchet hugged her back. "My light."

Turning in for the night Alister said goodnight to Kori. Becca came into their room and settled into bed but before they said goodnight Alister pulled a small box from its hiding place.

Becca gasped and gingerly handled the box. "Oh, Alister." She whispered, tears pooling in her eyes. "Oh, Alister, where did you get this?" Becca opened the box and let her tears flow down her face. "Our memories…"

"I found it." Alister smiled. "I went back to the old house and found it for you."

Becca smiled through tears that continued to run down her face. "I just can't believe it survived…" She gently picked up the stills and pulled them out. Becca picked up the still of Alister first holding Montay and she sniffled. "Oh, Alister, you were so young."

"I was young?" Alister moved closer, smiling wider. "Montay was young."

Becca gently kissed Alister and smiled at him. "Thank you, Alister." She leaned onto Alister and they reminisced over the stills and keepsakes. Becca even started to fill out the baby book meant for Kori, trying to remember all she could and fill in Alister on everything. Though tears flowed down Becca's face, she continued to smile with Alister. Their happiness unmatched.

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 **Thank you so much for reading! Hope you enjoyed it, please leave me a review. I'd appreciate it. That's it for now, see you next chapter! Bye!**


	5. Our Heart’s Pain

**Hello again! Welcome back to the story. I hope you enjoy the story, please tell me what you think, I'd love to know. I'll be quite so you can read it, please enjoy.**

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Shortly after his nephews' third birthday, Malcolm sat in the living room of his and his father's house. All the lights off. The 22-year-old sat and waited for his father to return. His back turned to the door, ready in the swivel chair.

The front door opened, the lights turned on, and Malcolm spun around to see his cousin, instead of his father. Harper smirked at him, amusement in her voice. "What was that supposed to be?"

Malcolm groaned. "You ruined it." Malcolm got up from his chair, closed the front door, turned off the lights again, and got back into his chair.

Harper walked around the chair to look at her cousin. As well as she could see him in the dark. "Can I ask what you're doing?" She smiled and laughed a little bit.

"Saw it in a holo-film once." Malcolm kept his face serious. "Now either sit down or go away. You're going to ruin it." Harper laughed a little before she grabbed a swivel chair, sat in it with her back to the door, and waited with Malcolm.

The front door opened, the lights turned on, Malcolm and Harper spun around to see their cousin, instead of Montay. Franklin looked at his cousins, frowning. "What are you two doing?"

Malcolm groaned while Harper laughed. Malcolm closed the door, Harper turned off the lights, and they both sat back down in their swivel chairs. Their backs to the door. Harper waved at Franklin to join them. Franklin nodded and pulled up a chair for himself, with his back to the door. "We are all going to the left, correct?"

Harper and Malcolm agreed.

Franklin sighed. "Why are we doing this?"

"He saw in a holo-film," Harper replied. Malcolm told them both to be quiet.

The front door opened, a couple's laughter entered the room, the lights turned on, and Malcolm, Harper, and Franklin spun around to see Montay and the lovely Leigh. Malcolm bore down at his father. "Do you have any idea what time it is, young man?" Franklin smirked and Harper giggled.

Montay and Leigh looked at each other before looking back at the youngsters. Montay grinned at his son. "How old are the three of you?"

Leigh gently rubbed Montay's chest. "Relax, let them have their fun." Montay smiled at Leigh, looking into her amethyst purple eyes, admiring her dark honey-colored fur, and light honey stripes. "Besides," Leigh purred to him. "If they have their fun we can have our own later." Montay gently kissed Leigh in the front doorway, yet to have closed the door behind them.

Franklin ducked out, avoiding the obvious PDA. Malcolm forced himself not to smile, he would not break character. Harper smiled and fawned over her uncle and his girlfriend.

The communication hub started to receive a call, Harper jumped up and ran to the hub. She picked up the call to see Grace on the screen. "Hey, Grace. What's up?"

Grace frowned. "You all need to come here." She looked down at the controls on her end. "It's...It's Grandpa Alister."

Montay came to attention, letting go of Leigh and approaching the hub. "What's wrong, Grace?"

Grace's lip trembled, unable to look her father in the eye. "You just need to come quick." She sniffled. "We…we…" Grace lowered her head, looking up and away from the screen in front of her. "We think he's dying."

It was as if the oxygen had been sucked out of the room. The only one who could move was Leigh. She approached the hub, nodding to Grace. "They'll be there as soon as they can be, Grace," Leigh spoke evenly and calmly. "They're going to pack and be on their way."

Montay looked at Leigh. "Leigh…" He moved slowly. "We can't leave you here."

Leigh turned to Montay. She smiled. "You need to be with your family. I'll be fine." Leigh gently pressed her forehead to Montay's. "I'll be here waiting for you when you want to come back, stay as long as you need to. Be sure to remember to eat and bathe."

Montay smiled weakly at Leigh. He then turned to his daughter Grace and told her to make sure there were beds for them to sleep in. They hung up with Grace and then got to work, packing and making sure everything was taken care of them for them to leave for a few days. Leigh saw them off, giving Montay one last reassuring peck on the cheek.

No one was there to meet them, everyone was at the house. Already crowded around Alister as he laid in his and Becca's bed. Becca sat next to her husband, holding his hand. Everyone parted around Montay, Rolin, and Kori. Kori and Rolin hugged their brother before joining their mother. Alister smiled weakly at his grown children. "I knew this day would come…" His voice weak and horse. "Sooner or later."

Becca wept. "Oh, Alister." She gently touched his face. "After all that has happened…."

Alister looked at Becca, tired and weak. "I know," He smiled weakly. "But I got to see my wife, my sons, and meet my daughter. I received grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A life lived full."

"We love you, Alister." Becca smiled and kissed his cheek.

Alister's breathing slowed. "As I love all of you." He raised a hand toward his children. "If there would be anything I could do, I would go back and be a better father to all of you."

Montay smiled at his father, holding his siblings close to him. "It is a matter of Quality over Quantity, Dad." Kori snuggled up to her brothers for a moment before sitting down next to their father, pulling her brothers along. Snuggling up to her father, holding him Kori cried.

Surrounded by family, those he loved and loved him, Alister died.

Becca soon followed Alister, dying of a broken heart. Their children, with heavy hearts, buried their parents side by side. Kaden gave one last toast to his best friend and Becca, and he brought the little ones out to where they were buried to tell stories.

Shortly after the funeral Orion was called away, he almost refused but Claire made him leave. He embraced his three-year-old son deeply, reassuring that Daddy wasn't going away because Simon had been bad. Daddy had to go help people that needed help. Claire kissed Orion and whispered into his ear. Orion smiled and kissed Claire back before tightly hugging Simon again. Ratchet told Orion to come back safe.

"Don't worry." Orion smiled toward Claire and Simon, Claire holding back the little one. "I've plenty of motivation for that." He took off, waving goodbye to his family.

Before Montay had realized it they had been on Fastoon for a month. Malcolm decided to stay with his sister, but Harper and Franklin were anxious to get back. Montay made Grace and Mac promise they would behave without him. He hugged his grandsons, daughter, son, son-in-law, sister, and brother goodbye.

Leigh was waiting, as promised. The house was immaculate, and she greeted them warmly. She didn't complain when Montay didn't feel like doing anything, she listened to him when he aired his grievances. Leigh made him eat when he didn't feel like it but hadn't eaten all day.

After what felt like too long Montay apologized to Leigh. "It feels like I'm taking advantage of you." He said to her one day in their kitchen.

Leigh smiled softly and put her hand gently on his cheek. "You're not taking advantage of me." She looked into his eyes and gently caressed his cheek. "You're grieving, I understand. It takes time to recover from losing someone you love, especially when it's your parents."

Montay smiled weakly. "You'd think I'd be used to it after my stepfather passed away."

"Oh, Montay," Leigh breathed and embraced Montay. "Every heartbreak is different, and I understand completely if you need more time before you can talk about it."

Montay frowned and buried his face in Leigh's shoulder. Leigh held him tightly, just holding him so he knew she was there.

"It's worse," Montay mumbled into her shoulder. "When you forget they're gone and then you remember, and your heart breaks all over again."

Leigh tried not to cry herself, she rubbed the back of Montay's head. "I know, it's the worst." She whispered.

Montay laughed weakly, tears falling from his eyes soaking into Leigh's shirt. "And as an adult, you feel like you have to keep it together. Keep it together for my children, my siblings, my grandchildren, and at one point for my mother." He rested his head Leigh's shoulder. "To fight off breaking apart because you feel like you have to be strong for everyone else."

Leigh nodded and held Montay's head on her shoulder. "You don't have to hide that you're hurting, you don't need to pretend you're okay." She took a deep breath. "It's absolutely understandable to not be okay when you've been broken, and we all will stand by you until you need us. Until you're ready to need us."

Montay smiled at Leigh, he gently kissed her before escaping to their room. His emotional exhaustion overtook him and he fell asleep. Leigh made sure to check on him, and on the kids. Harper and Franklin felt like her children, and she did miss Malcolm when he didn't come back with them. Leigh knew loss, there wasn't a day she didn't miss Thomas. Where Montay had saved his daughter, she lost her son.

She was never jealous Grace was saved, Leigh just mourned that Thomas was not. There was nothing they could do to save him.

Claire watched the sky for Orion's ship to come back and if she could have she would have willed it back that moment. She placed her hand on her baby bump that had grown in the three months since her grandparents died. Orion knew but she didn't have the heart to tell anyone else just a few months after their loss.

"Claire?"

Claire turned around to face her mother, she pretended to smooth out her shirt. "Hi, Mom."

Kori smiled and joined her daughter at the window. "Keeping vigilant?"

"Yeah…" Claire sighed and returned to the window. "He better hurry up." She smiled weakly at the sky outside.

Kori smiled sadly and wrapped her arm around Claire's shoulders. "I know you've been sick worrying over him." She kissed her daughter's cheek. "He'll be back before you know it."

"He better or I'm going to hurt him." Claire laughed. She smiled at her mother until the familiar flutter of movement in her abdomen startled her.

"Are you okay?" Kori asked. She looked her daughter over with a raised eyebrow.

Claire smiled and pulled away from her mother. "Yes, Mom, I'm fine." She laughed at herself. "Just a little jumpy these days."

Kori looked her daughter over, something was off about her. "Claire, you're hiding something from me," Kori scolded her, stern and motherly.

"Don't be silly Mom." Claire smiled but kept herself out of her mother's reach. "What would I have to hide from you?" She laughed nervously and held up her hands to keep her mother away.

Kori frowned at her daughter. "I'm trying to figure that out." She gently grabbed her daughter's face and looked Claire in the eye after a moment Kori gasped and let Claire go. "You're pregnant!"

Claire tried to shush her mother. "Not so loud, Mom." She stopped and looked at Kori. "Wait, how?"

"You've got that look in your eye." Kori crossed her arms. "How long have you known and when were you planning to tell us?" She scolded Claire.

Claire laughed nervously. "Long before this." She lifted her shirt and pulled down her compression belt positioned over her stomach. Exposing her almost grown stomach, well over halfway but not in the homestretch.

Kori gapped at her daughter, an uncontrollable mix of frustration with her daughter hiding her pregnancy and happiness for her next grandchild. "How have you hidden it this long? Who else knows?"

Claire put her hiding measures back in place, sheepish and laughing nervously. "With everyone so upset about Grandma and Grandpa I got away with not doing any work or heavy lifting." She smiled shyly. "And as far as I know the only ones who know are Orion and you."

Kori frowned and shook her head. "Claire what if something happened to you? Or the baby?" She rested her forehead in her palm. "I'm telling your father."

"No, no, no." Claire grabbed Kori. She tried to smile at her mother. "If anyone is going to tell him, I want to do it."

"Get going." Kori gestured toward the door.

Claire put on her best smile and walked to her parents' room, followed by her mother. Ratchet was in bed already, only looking up from what he was reading when his wife and eldest daughter came in. "Hello," he said, uncertain. "Can I help you?"

Kori sat down next to her husband, patted his hand and watched their daughter. Claire gave her father her best smile. "Daddy, you know I love you. But there is something I need to tell you."

Ratchet blinked and put down his info pad. "I'm already babysitting Simon tomorrow because your Grandpa Kaden's nap schedule conflicts."

Claire took a deep breath and smiled. "I'm pregnant."

Ratchet smiled a little. "How far along are you? Does Orion know?" He thought for a moment. "Is…Orion the father?"

Claire nodded. "Orion does know, and stupid question. Of course, he is." Claire bit her lip before lifting her shirt and lowering the compression belt again. "I was pregnant before Grandma and Grandpa passed away, but I didn't think I was that far along then."

Ratchet gasped and turned to his wife. "You don't seem surprised, how long have you known?"

Kori patted Ratchet's hand again. "Not much more than you, dear, I was going to tell you but she insisted that she tell you."

Ratchet looked back to Claire, half scolding her and half teasing her. "Why didn't you tell us before?"

Claire frowned and bit her lip. "I don't know, everyone was so upset and I didn't want to seem insensitive. And Orion went away and I…" she sniffled and tears rolled down her face. "I didn't want to tell anyone without him there."

Ratchet smiled and got out of bed to pull Claire into an embrace. "It's okay, Claire." He wrapped his arms around his daughter, putting his chin on top of her head. "How quickly you are moved to tears, you really are your mother's daughter."

Kori smiled again. "Very funny." She got up and joined her husband and daughter. "We simply have to tell everyone tomorrow, just so more people can watch out for you. In case something happens."

Claire nodded and put her measures back in place. "Tomorrow." She took a deep breath, wished her parents good night, and checked on Simon before going to bed herself. The next morning, Claire waited until everyone was already at the table before she came out, a form-fitting shirt and no compression belt. She acted like nothing was wrong as everyone stopped when they saw her.

Kaden cleared his throat. "Um, Claire? Is there anything you want to tell us?" He glanced at her obvious stomach.

Claire smiled and sat next to Simon. "Ah, yes." She rubbed her grown stomach. "Simon is going to be a big brother."

Grace held out her hands, looking to everyone else at the table. "Am I the only one who feels like they missed something?"

Zeon raised his hand. "Missed something? Try blindsided."

Celeste elbowed Zeon hard in the ribs. She frowned at Zeon before turning to Claire with a smile. "That's great news, Claire. When are you due?"

Claire slowly nodded. "In about three months."

"Perfect." Celeste clapped her hands, still smiling. "I'd love to help put the nursery together, do you have any idea what you are having?"

Claire looked at her family before she looked back at Celeste. "Um…no offense Celeste but you're taking this well."

Celeste shrugged. "I became an aunt to twin boys in an evening, plus I noticed that you stopped picking up Simon. Who is about 30 pounds, much over the limit you should lift by yourself. Plus your extra trips to the bathroom, and those times when you would smile down at your stomach when you thought no one was looking." She nodded. "And every time you looked for Orion's ship you put your hand on your stomach like there was something special there." Celeste smiled.

Claire blinked, surprised. "So you knew, but didn't tell anyone?"

"Not my place." Celeste nodded.

Zeon shook his head at Celeste. "A heads up would have been nice though."

Celeste rolled her eyes and smiled at Zeon. "Okay, heads up Zeon." She took some food off his plate and quickly put in her mouth. "You are going to lose your breakfast."

"Hey!" Zeon complained as everyone else laughed.

Kaden smiled sadly at Claire and put his hand on her shoulder. "Your Grandpa Alister would be so happy." He shared a smile with his granddaughter.

Suddenly a knock came at the door, silencing everyone. No one knocked, no one had the need to. Kaden stopped Claire from getting up, he slowly got up to the door and opened it. "Franklin?" He questioned, opening up the door to show the younger lombax. "What are you doing here?"

Franklin nodded to Kaden. "I have some visitors." Franklin stepped aside to reveal Cassius and Stella. Claire's heart dropped.

Cassius held his wife Stella, both looking somber and with dark circles under their eyes. "Please, tell us where Orion is."

Claire jumped up and ran to them. "I can't believe you're here." She carefully hugged Stella. "I wish we could but he had to go off and be a hero."

Stella gasped at Claire. "Is that you, Claire?" She looked at her husband before looking back at Claire. "And what do you mean?"

Claire looked down before looking to her grandfather, then back to her in-laws. "That's a bit of a long story." They invited Cassius and Stella inside and made them something warm to drink. Everyone at the breakfast table minded their own business.

Cassius and Stella sat and listened to Claire explain, how Orion took over her father's job as protector of the universe, how they got married and are helping restore their home planet of Fastoon. Stella glanced at Claire's stomach and then whispered. "And Claire...are you…?"

Claire smiled and gently rubbed her stomach. "Yes, soon our family will grow."

Stella held out her hand. "May I?" Claire nodded and Stella placed her hand on Claire's stomach, smiling. "Can you believe it, Cassius?"

Cassius smiled a little but still was serious. "So, you can't tell us where Orion is?"

"No, sorry." Claire shook her head. "We haven't heard anything from him since he left two months ago." She smiled again. "But this isn't your first grandchild."

Stella removed her hand and looked up at Claire, her eyes big. "What did you say?"

"Zeon," Claire called. "Can you send in Simon?"

"Simon?" Cassius whispered.

Soon enough young Simon came running into the room, gravitating toward his mother and great-grandfather. Kaden picked up the boy and put him on his lap. "Simon, met your Grandma Stella and Grandpa Cassius."

Simon smiled, waving with an open hand. "Hi!"

"Hello there." Stella marveled, smiling widely. Cassius grinned and held his wife.

Simon turned to Claire, pouting a little. "Mama. I hungry."

Claire nodded. "Right, we interrupted your breakfast." She helped him down off Kaden's lap. "You can play with Grandpa Cassius and Grandma Stella later. Go ask Zeon to help you back into your seat." The little boy ran off to finish his breakfast.

Stella nearly burst into tears. "We never thought…"

"It's alright." Claire smiled. "I understand your concern. I worry about him all the time, at least when he's gone. He thankfully isn't gone all the time."

Cassius rubbed Stella's back and smiled at Claire. "Does he know about baby number 2?"

Claire nodded. "I made sure to tell him before he left. To make sure that he would come home as fast as he could." She smiled down at her stomach. "I was just further along than I thought I was."

A commotion came from the breakfast table. Zeon helped Simon down and the little one took off running. "Daddy! Daddy!" Claire's heart skipped a beat, she smiled at Stella and Cassius before taking off after her son.

Claire smiled as Orion jumped out of the ship and caught his son. Orion spun Simon around, telling his son how much he missed him. He stopped when he saw Claire, Orion put Simon down and ran to embrace Claire. Orion rested a hand onto her grown stomach and kissed her sweetly.

Orion smiled at Claire and rested a kiss on her stomach. Claire pulled him up to her and told him she had a surprise for him, revealing his parents.

Orion grinned widely. "Mom. Dad." He marveled and attacked his parents with a flying hug. "Best day ever." Orion smiled, grabbing Claire and Simon, and pulling them into the embrace.

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 **Long chapter, I know. One of the hardest ones for me to write, hopefully, you can understand. Before this story was in production my cousin passed away and his poor daughters lost their father. This chapter, Leigh's message to Montay, is my message to them. If only I felt like I could tell them.**


	6. Franklin's Truth

**Greetings! This is my favorite chapter so I decided to release it early. I just couldn't wait, so I apologize. Especially after the last chapter. Last chapter was the worst. Anyway, this is Franklin's Truth. My favorite chapter and finally some characterization for darling Franklin that's not him being the stuck up butt we all know. Please leave me a review, I'd love to know what you think.**

 **All non-canon characters are mine.**

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Stella couldn't help but smile at her husband, their two grandsons on his chest. Young Simon looked almost like his father as he slept, his newborn brother next to him. The little babe had his mother's honey-colored fur. These past few months she wrapped her mind around being a grandmother, a role for a while she only dreamed of.

Stella checked on Claire and Orion and found them sleeping in each other's arms. She remembered when she first held Orion in her arms, she was so scared to break him. Now she saw her son with his own children, and she felt such pride in him.

Kori found Stella and made her a warm drink. The two of them sat and talked, still hyped up on adrenaline from helping Claire give birth to the new baby. "She was so small when she was born," Kori commented. "And Ratchet treated her like at any second she could break."

"Cassius had to have someone else spot him when he first held Orion." Stella laughed. "My mother thought it was the funniest thing."

Kori smiled. "We had no idea what we were doing."

"We're supposed to know now?" Stella touched Kori's arm. "I'm new to being a grandmother, and I still feel new to being a mother."

Kori sighed and smiled. "I've been a new mother five times, each one of my children different. Claire is hindsightful, Franklin is foresightful, Ian is impulsive, Liza is a companion, and Rosie is tyrannical."

"Dynamite comes in small packages," Stella whispered. Kori and Stella laughed together.

Harper was studying some articles on various subjects, taking notes as she went. Her eyes wandered up to see her cousin coming in the door. Hand in hand with another young male lombax.

Franklin smiled until he saw Harper. "Oh," He tried to keep smiling, quickly dropping George's hand. "I didn't know you were home." George, behind his back, frowned.

"I'm just making some notes for you." Harper nodded. "You always seem so busy so I'm trying to help you out." She cross-referenced the articles against one another. "To let you have some semblance of a social life."

Franklin rubbed the back of his neck, his smile faltering slightly. "Right, thanks, Harper." He turned to the ginger-furred, orange striped, green-eyed lombax behind him. "I brought George, Harper."

Harper smiled. "Hi, George."

"Pleasure." George nodded.

Harper went back to her articles. "I'm probably going to be doing this for the rest of the night, so don't bother me." She nodded toward the kitchen. "Leigh made dinner if you want some. I already ate. Uncle Montay is coming home is a few hours and Leigh has to cover the night shift."

Franklin looked at George, smiled, and looked back at his cousin. "Do you know if Uncle Montay has had something to eat or is he expecting dinner when he gets home?"

"Leigh made extra." Harper hummed into her articles. "Now, Franklin, I love you like a cousin but," she looked Franklin in the eye, smiling widely. "Stop bothering me." Harper's face dropped down and she went back to her notes.

Franklin grabbed George's hand and pulled him to the kitchen, making each of them a serving of Leigh's shepherd's pie.

George kept looking over his shoulder at Harper. "Do you think she knows?" He whispered.

"I don't think so," Franklin mumbled in return. "But Harper is smart, I wouldn't put it past her."

"How do you know?" George moved closer to Franklin.

Franklin smirked. "Her brother put all his energy into music, and her sister put all her energy into hoverboarding. Harper, however, has been reading almost constantly since she learned to read." He nodded toward his cousin. "Her parents never limited her on what she could read, so when most of us were reading picture books she was already on novels."

George lightly shook his head. "Don't take this the wrong way but your family is full of interesting individuals."

"And I'm cool with that." Franklin smiled. "I'm happy to be a part of it."

Things were quiet for a while before George asked. "Is there any reason you don't bring me around here very often?"

"There are lots of reasons," Franklin admitted, frowning to himself. "None of them are really about you."

George put his hand on Franklin's. "Are you ashamed of me?"

"No." Franklin shook his head, tears filling his eyes. "You're the best thing that's happened to me." He took a deep breath and rubbed the tears away before they could fall.

"So what is it?"

Franklin sniffled and lowered his head. "I'm….scared of what my parents will think." He bit his lip. "When Claire was my age she was pregnant with her first kid. When she finished her year she came home with a boy around her little finger."

"And you're scared that if you don't go home with a girl they'll be….?"

Franklin shrugged. "Disappointed? Disgusted? Confused?" He sighed. "We never talked about being gay at home. My family was all I had out there so we never talked about attraction. And trust me, there is no temptation there." Franklin smiled weakly.

George smiled back. "That's reassuring." He gently squeezed Franklin's hand. "But you'll never know until you try."

Franklin took a deep breath before taking George's hand in his own and laying a gentle kiss in George's palm. George smiled before leaning over and kissing Franklin's lips. Together they peeked over to see Harper fully into her articles and not paying them any attention.

They left the dinner uneaten and they went up to Franklin's room to spend some quality time together before Franklin had to go back to Fastoon to meet his new nephew. Harper waited a little bit before she looked up at Franklin's room, a bit sad her cousin felt he had to hide who he was.

Montay eventually came home and checked in with Harper. "Where is Franklin?"

"He brought George home," Harper replied, not even looking at Montay.

"His room." Montay nodded, dropping in volume. "Best let them alone."

"They talked about him coming out," Harper frowned, "but he's not ready."

Montay sighed. "Well, we'll simply have to wait until he is." He looked at Harper with a stern fatherly look. "One of these times we have to talk about your eavesdropping skills."

Harper shook her head. "What eavesdropping skills?" She smiled at Montay. "Never heard of them."

Montay smiled back before he called out loudly that he was home. Where was everyone, oh there is Harper. Harper told him Leigh made dinner for everyone, and it's in the fridge.

Behind Franklin's closed bedroom door Franklin was a bit distracted, and it wasn't by George. Franklin sat at his desk, George laid on the bed next to him, peppering his hand with gentle kisses. George looked up to see his boyfriend off in his own world.

"What's wrong?" George asked, concerned.

"Hm?" Franklin came to attention. George laughed and asked him again. "Oh," Franklin nodded. "I was just thinking…"

"A dangerous habit." George teased.

Franklin smiled. "I was just thinking about home." He looked at George. "How you might like it there, and I was wondering if my mom will like you."

George got up and gently kissed Franklin. "I'm sure she would, I'm very likable."

Franklin kissed George back. "I love you." These whispered words stopped the boys in their tracks, looking at each other with shocked expressions. Franklin lowered his head and looked away. "S-Sorry I…."

"Don't be sorry, Franklin. Don't ever be sorry because…." George slowly started to smile again, laughing a little. "I love you too, Franklin." George pulled Franklin from his chair and onto the bed. Franklin landed on top of George on the bed and he kissed George stronger than he ever had before, forgetting he had to breathe for a while.

It was in the moment that Franklin knew he couldn't hide anymore. George deserved better than that. A fire burned in his stomach, and his mind swam. Even if his darkest fears came true. Even if his family rejected him, they just had to know who he really was. He couldn't sleep, even if it was next to George, so he got up to put some clothes on and took a deep breath.

Harper was still working on her notes at the table, Leigh was home and talking with Montay about her shift. Franklin steeled himself and took a deep breath before asking everyone to join him in the living room.

It wasn't his entire family but it was what he had, and if they accepted him he would have a bigger support group for when he faced his biggest fear. "So, you're all probably wondering why I asked you all out here."

Harper nodded. "Especially this late at night when old people really should be in bed."

Montay was about to respond but Franklin stopped him. "Please, let me just say what I have to say." He tried to take a deep breath, his hands trembled wildly. "And if you hate me, I'm sorry but there is nothing I can do about it."

Leigh frowned. "We could never hate you, Franklin." Her voice sweet and concerned.

"To be honest I have no idea." Franklin trembled, tears growing in his eyes. "But I just can't keep pretending to be something I'm not, something you all want me to be."

Harper looked at her uncle and Leigh. Montay slowly stood up and placed his hand on Franklin's shoulder. "It's okay, Franklin."

Franklin looked up at Montay. "But what if it's not?" He took a deep breath. "I'm gay okay? I like guys, specifically George."

Harper smiled. "We know."

"You know?" Franklin breathed, his tears running down his face. "What do you mean you know?"

Harper stood and hugged her cousin. "The look in your eye when you look at George, the fact that the only girls you ever hung out with were your cousins, and the fact I heard you talking."

Franklin laughed, a mix of relief and disbelief. "I knew you were listening."

"I got big ears," Harper smiled. "Sometimes I hear things."

Montay smiled at Leigh for a moment before wrapping his arms around Franklin and Harper. "We're just happy you could finally tell us."

Franklin let Harper go and turned to Montay. "You're….not…." He took a deep breath. "You're not upset?"

"Upset?" Montay grinned and messed up Franklin's hair. "Why would I be upset that you found someone to love?" He shrugged. "And I'm not going to tattle on you to my sister. I assume you haven't told her yet."

"No…" Franklin's smiled faded as shook his head. "I don't know if I'm ready to tell Mom and Dad yet."

Harper smiled and stood next to her cousin. "We're honored that we're the first people you told." She rubbed his back. "Just don't feel pressured to tell people you're not ready to know."

Franklin smiled again. Montay clasped his hand together. "Oh, right." He pointed his finger at Franklin. "Ground rules for couples apply to you now."

Franklin rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on."

"Seriously." Montay smiled. "If Leigh and I have to have an open door policy, you should too. And always practice safely."

"I don't think that's necessary." Franklin crossed his arms. "I don't think there is any risk of pregnancy."

Harper snickered. "We thought the same thing with Grace and Lance but we all know what happened."

Franklin groaned and put his face in his hands. "I'm dying of embarrassment."

"You've had a good 25 years." Leigh smiled from the couch.

A voice came from the stairs. "Uh...what's going on?" They all looked up to see George at the top of the steps.

Franklin smiled and went up to take his hand. "It's okay."

George glanced at Harper, Montay, and Leigh before looking at Franklin. "You mean you….?"

Franklin nodded and pulled George close to him. "Yeah, but now we have to follow couple rules."

"Welp." George smiled. "I don't want to be a rule breaker."

Harper called up to them. "Yeah, please." She started up the stairs. "Can I go to bed now?"

Montay pulled Leigh up from the couch, smiling. "You're welcome to stay the night, George but we only ask you to keep the door open." He winked at the boys. "We don't want any misbehaving."

George whispered to Franklin. "We can always go to my house." Franklin shushed him and pulled George back to his room.

Leigh smiled at Montay, who kissed her before they both went to bed. Making sure the door was open, to lead a good example.

"Zeon?" Celeste whispered to Zeon. Zeon was asleep, so he just hummed in response. Celeste sat up in bed and contemplated hitting Zeon to wake him up. "I know you're asleep but…" Celeste groaned. "And I know this is pointless but…." She closed her eyes and confessed. "I think I'm pregnant."

"What?" Zeon's voice came back. He pulled himself up and looked at Celeste through half-open eyes.

"Nothing." Celeste hurried to say. "Absolutely nothing, go back to bed." She covered herself with the covers and turned away from Zeon.

Zeon rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "No, what did you say Celeste?" He put his hand on her shoulder.

Celeste removed his hand and kept her back to Zeon. "Nothing, you're dreaming." She tightened the covers around her. "Go back to bed." Celeste faked a yawn and closed her eyes tight.

Zeon yawned for a moment before trying to shake it off. "No," He told himself. "I'm not going back to sleep until you tell me." Zeon frowned and shook off sleep. "Please, Celeste."

"I-" Celeste's eyes bugged out of her head, her hand clamped over her mouth. Celeste bolted out of bed and ran down the hall to the bathroom.

Zeon followed her. "Celeste!" He got there in time to see Celeste huddled over the toilet. Zeon frowned and knelt behind her, he gently rubbed her back. "I know I can't do much to help but…."

Celeste frowned and kept her face near the toilet, the last place she wanted it to be. "You can help by leaving me alone." She sniffled, tears suddenly streaking down her face.

Zeon looked down for a moment before taking a deep breath. "Right." He nodded, got up and left.

"Zeon." Celeste's heart broke. "I didn't…." She almost got up but Celeste was hit with another wave of nausea. Celeste groaned and returned to the toilet, her best friend the past several days.

A glass of carbonated liquid and saltine crackers were placed down next to Celeste. She looked down at them before meeting Zeon's eyes. He smiled sadly at her, knelt down and rubbed away her tears. "Hopefully these will help." Zeon kissed Celeste's forehead. "I'll leave you alone now." He stood up to leave but Celeste grabbed his hand.

"No." Celeste held him back. "Please don't leave."

Zeon joined her on the floor. "You just told me to leave."

Celeste laughed, soon dissolving into tears. "I know, but it's just that…" She sniffled and leaned on the toilet. "I've been all over lately and I don't know what's going on."

Zeon smiled and moved closer to her. "Yeah, but that's okay." He rested his hand on Celeste's foot. "I know how big of a pain I can be."

"Zeon, you don't get it." Celeste shook her head. "I…" She took a deep breath. "I'm late. Like really late."

Zeon looked around for a second before his face fell. Celeste looked at him, waved her hand in front of his face. Called his name a couple times, snapped her fingers in front of his face before groaning and going back to the toilet.

"Wait!" Zeon snapped to attention. "Wait, wait, wait!" He bolted up and circled around in the small bathroom. "When was it we…." Zeon tried to do some quick math, grabbing the calendar from around the corner. He looked helplessly at Celeste.

She sighed. "I thought it was stress. When do you see the last red dot on the calendar?"

"Right." Zeon scanned the calendar. He went quiet for a bit. "You're not going to be happy."

Celeste leaned more over the toilet. "As long as it's not more than about a month, I think we're safe."

"It's been almost two months, rough estimate."

Celeste groaned and buried her face in her hands. "Please be stress." She took a deep breath. "Oh, please be stress." Celeste started to cry again. "I'm stressed right now if that counts."

Zeon frowned and knelt down to Celeste. "Hey, we're going to figure this out." He wrapped his arms around her. "Maybe it's a false alarm and we just need to let you relax for once."

Celeste tried to smile, putting her head on Zeon's shoulder. "Sickness can also put it off, maybe I just have a stomach bug." She laughed weakly. "You might want to wash your hands before we go to bed."

Zeon smiled at Celeste. "Can't have both of us sick. At least one of us needs to take care of the other." He rested his chin on her head and rubbed her arms. "I hope you take care of me when I'm sick because I know I'll take care of you."

Celeste sniffled and rubbed away her tears. She cuddled up to Zeon, gently using her finger to draw on his chest. "Zeon, what if it's real?" Celeste kept her eyes low and whispered. "What if….I'm pregnant?"

"Like I said," Zeon spoke softly. "We'll figure this out." He laughed a little. "I was an accident," Zeon gently touched Celeste's face. "Sometimes accidents are the best things to happen to us."

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 **Thank you for reading! Please leave me a review, I'd love to know what you think! See you next chapter!**


	7. Montay's Arrest

**Welcome back to our next installment! This is a longer chapter, even longer if I keep talking. I hope you enjoy it, leave me a review. I'd love to know what you think.**

 **All noncanon characters are mine.**

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CRACK! BANG!

Montay shot up in bed, immediately awake. Leigh was out, exhausted. Montay crept out of bed and armed himself with his bedroom lamp. Footsteps could be heard in the main room, so Montay crept quietly.

"MONTAY AZIMUTH!" A bright light shown into Montay's eyes. Grabbed on both sides he forced to drop his 'weapon'. "GET ON THE GROUND!"

Leigh finally woke up, blinded by the lights. "Montay?"

Montay got on his knees, spots in his eyes. "I'm okay, Leigh."

"Uncle Montay!" Harper's voice carried from down the hall.

The main enforcer signaled to his underlings. "Get her and anyone else in the house."

Leigh was grabbed and dragged out of bed, screaming for Montay. Harper, Franklin, and George's voices carried to Montay's ears. Montay tried to look at the leader. "Let them go."

The leader stood before Montay. "Montay Azimuth you are under arrest for the kidnapping of Harper Azimuth, the murders of Becca, Rolin, Astrid, Zeon, Ginny, Malcolm, Kori Azimuth, Cassius, Stella, Orion Vital, Lance, Grace, Celeste, Dante, and Duncan Watt. And harboring illegal fugitives under the aliases Claire, Franklin, Ian, and Liza Azimuth."

Montay blinked but still looked into the light. "You don't underst-" Montay's head and neck exploded with pain. He fell forward hard and everything went black.

"Mr. Azimuth." A new male voice called Montay, and in his haze, Montay opened his eyes to find his arms chained behind his back and his ankles chained to the floor. "Mr. Montay Azimuth." The voice called, and Montay focused on the lombax in front of him.

Montay groaned and shook his head. "Excuse me, I'm trying to recover from blunt force trauma." His mind cleared and Montay glared at the lombax across the table from him. "What in the world do you think you're doing? Breaking into my home and assaulting myself, my significant other, my family, and my nephew's significant other?"

The Lombax, Detective Watt, kept a straight face. "Mr. Azimuth we have the suspicion that you've been up to some less than wholesome activities. We have miles of footage of disappearances that happened inside your lab at the research facility." He frowned at Montay. "Lombaxes going in and never coming back out again and your accomplice, your supposed nephew, doing the same."

Montay fell silent and looked away.

"Not too chatty now, are we?" Detective Watt mused. He produced a file and opened it up. "It started with your sister, Kori Azimuth. Nearly 36 years ago your sister went into your lab, and then later that same day pronounced dead. No body ever recovered." He flipped through. "Then almost systematically your supposed niece Claire suddenly appears."

Montay nodded. "This doesn't look good for me."

Detective Watt slammed the file shut. "No bodies, no explanation, and no way you can get yourself out of this, Azimuth."

"You hold an excellent point." Montay shrugged.

Detective Watt glared at Montay. "Your so-called nephew is getting questioned too, let's hope he can shed some light on the subject."

Montay sighed and sat back. "Just don't beat him up too much. His mother will hurt me if her darling son is hurt."

"Who is he?" Detective Watt leaned over the table. "Who is his mother?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Montay smiled.

Detective Watt frowned, unamused. "Try me, Azimuth."

Montay rolled his eyes. "His birth name is Franklin Olympic, born on Fastoon in Polaris. My sister, Kori Olympic, is his mother and he is her second child but firstborn son."

"Very funny Azimuth." Detective Watt narrowed his eyes at Montay. "There are no lombaxes in Polaris, especially on Fastoon."

Montay smirked. "Yes, there are." He shrugged. "But what do I know, I've never been there."

Another lombax poked his head into the room. "Detective." He held the door open for Detective Watt.

"We're not done here, Azimuth." Detective Watt slammed his hand on the table before leaving, the door closing behind him.

Montay took a deep breath and lowered his head. He lifted his head again to see none other than Former Commander in Chief Talia Olympic smiling at him. "Hello, Montay." She took the seat across of him. "Perhaps it is time."

"Ma'am." Montay frowned. "If I may, they are not ready." He quickly shook his head.

Talia shook her head. "Look at yourself, Montay." She gently touched his cuffs. "You are chained to a table because they think you killed your family. But we both know where they really are."

Montay took a deep breath. "Get Franklin home to his mother, I'll take whatever they do to me." He looked Talia in the eye. "Oh and let George know that my sister would love him."

Talia frowned and nodded to Montay. She was allowed to take Franklin home on one condition, she and he be accompanied by armed guards. Should the boy try anything. Montay was placed in solitary confinement, pending the safe return of Talia.

They went to Montay's lab and Franklin set to set up the machine, a nice large gun pointed at his back. No pressure, you know. When the portal opened Franklin gestured to the armed gunmen to go first. Talia rolled her eyes and pushed them through the portal. Franklin followed his aunt and walked through.

The armed gunman came face to face with little 9-year-old Rosie, 3-year-old Simon, 90-year-old Kaden, and the newborn baby. They lowered their weapons and looked around.

Simon and Rosie hid behind Kaden, who handed the newborn to Rosie. "Support his head, Rosie." He told her before steeling himself. "Who are you and what are you doing here?"

Talia stepped forward and smiled at Kaden. "Brother, we come in peace."

"You, I'm not worried about." Kaden frowned. "But pointing weapons at my granddaughter and great-grandsons I find offensive."

Franklin approached his youngest sister. "Give me Baby, Rosie." He bent down and took the infant. Franklin rocked the infant. "Now, gentleman. Can we not attack my nephews, grandfather, and younger sister?"

Unseen Rosie ran off to find their mother. She was yet to get her hoverboots but she we quite the runner. The little girl dragged her mother back, claiming up and down that men with guns were threatening Grandpa Kaden and Baby.

This attracted much more attention then she wanted. Orion, Zeon, Lance, Ian, Malcolm, and Genie joined Kori and Rosie. The armed gunmen went back to pointing weapons at the large group as they approached.

Kori steeled herself. "I request that you vacate the area immediately." She took Rosie's hand and put the little girl behind the force behind her.

Orion got Simon and put him with Rosie. "You better listen to her."

Franklin joined the force. None of the force had brought weapons with them. So they stood tall against these armed gunmen. One of the gunmen took notice that most of the members of the force were some of the missing lombaxes that had mysteriously disappeared. Including the supposedly kidnapped Harper's siblings. Plus one of them was holding a newborn, hardly what one would call a threat.

Talia nodded. "Now that we have this settled." She embraced her brother. "It's been good to see you, Kaden." She took the gunmen and brought them through the portal, closing it using the machine.

After his sister disappeared into the portal Kaden and the other men decided in case anything happened the female lombaxes and children needed to be kept safe. Stella held her grandsons as Claire was carried into the bunker. Orion kissed his wife possibly for the last time, hugged his mother, and told his sons how much he loved them. Zeon forced Celeste to join the other females in the bunker, and he apologized that might never get to know if he'll be a father. Lance told Grace how much he loved her, he gave a big Daddy hug each to Dante and Duncan, and a brief hug from his sister Celeste. Ian, Franklin, Ratchet, and Kaden hugged Kori, Claire, Liza, and Rosie. Malcolm hugged his sister. Cassius kissed his wife, hugged his daughter-in-law and his grandsons then joined his son. Rolin kissed his wife before embracing his last daughter and hopefully future daughter-in-law.

With the females and children safe, the males armed themselves for the worst.

Talia took the gunmen back to the police department and made sure that Montay was released from solitary. The gunmen made their reports to Detective Watt. Montay soon was back in the interrogation room, chained up again to the table and floor. "What are you trying to pull, Azimuth?"

Montay yawned and looked at Detective Watt. "I don't know. What am I trying to pull?"

"Well," Detective Watt frowned at Montay. "My guards claim they've been to Fastoon and they've seen some of your family members and others."

"I do hope they had a good time." Montay shrugged. "I hope my sister is well. Did they see her?"

Detective Watt slammed his fist on the table. "I've had just about enough of your games, Azimuth."

"I've had to lie for almost 30 years to protect my sister and her way of life." Montay smiled and looked Detective Watt in the eye. "I told you, you wouldn't believe me."

"Celeste, please sit down," Grace told her, holding onto her sons. "You're making me nervous."

Celeste continued to pace. "Nervous, why should we be nervous? There is nothing to be nervous about." She wrung her hands. "What do we have to be anxious about?"

Astrid sighed and grabbed Celeste. "Celeste are you okay?"

Genie nodded. "Yeah, you're not usually this...excitable?" Genie looked to Grace. "Is that the word I'm looking for?"

Grace agreed. Astrid held Celeste in place. "I know you're worried about Zeon." She sat Celeste down and sat next to her. "I understand that completely, but we need to have our heads about us. I would be out there with them if I wasn't to be here as a second line of defense." Astrid smiled. "Like Kori, Stella, Genie, and you."

Celeste shook her head. "Actually I think Zeon would be very upset with me if I helped." She lowered her head and crossed her arms over her stomach.

Astrid's face fell. "Celeste….are you-"

"We don't know for sure yet." Celeste sniffled. "But we did the math and it's a big possibility."

Astrid smiled sadly. "Then I'm going to have to put some sense into my son because he did the same thing his father did." She gently hugged Celeste. "Right now though, we need you to relax. If you are pregnant we don't need you to be extra stressed. It's not good for you."

Grace shooed her sons over toward Celeste. Dante looked at Duncan, Duncan looked at Dante and they both decided to tag team their aunt. The little ones begged Celeste to play with them, and they cheered when she agreed.

Little Simon sat in Claire's lap, inconsolable. He wouldn't even let Baby share Mommy but it broke Claire's heart when she had to make Simon go to Stella so she could feed Baby.

Kori watched the door, dreading hearing anything from the other side. She wondered if this is how the women and children felt all those years ago when Tachyon attacked. Scared, anxious, and full of dread. Astrid was only 3 when it happened and Stella wasn't even conceived. Kori longed for her mother and father, but knowing Alister he would have been out there with Kaden. Who really should have been in the bunker with women and children, but he was a stubborn old Lombax.

Kori steeled herself and kept watch over the door. She had to protect her daughters and grandchildren.

"Azimuth." Detective Watt groaned. "That story doesn't make any sense."

Montay nodded. "But it is the truth."

"Stop saying that." Detective Watt yelled. "There are no lombaxes in Polaris."

Montay sighed and slowly nodded. "Yes, there are, your guards saw them for themselves." He struggled to move his arms. "Go there yourself, see that I'm telling the truth."

Detective Watt turned to leave. "You obviously need a physiological evaluation. I'll be back, Azimuth. Try not to crack."

Franklin stood next to his father. "How long are we going to stand here? We don't know if they can work Uncle Montay's machine."

Ratchet sighed but still stood guard. "We don't know but that doesn't matter, we'll be waiting for them if they are going to come."

Franklin took a deep breath. "Okay. So while we're waiting, and I don't know if we're going to survive being attacked anyway." He turned to his father and frowned. "Dad, I…"

"It's okay, Franklin."

Franklin closed his eyes. "Dad when I came back they forced me to leave behind the love of my life."

Ratchet frowned. "I'm sorry Franklin. We'll see about getting him back for you."

Franklin sighed. "Okay…" he looked up at his father, surprised. "You said him."

"If I got the wrong pronoun, sorry." Ratchet shook his head and looked at his RYNO.

"No, it's just…" Franklin shook his head for a moment. "How did you know?"

Ratchet smiled. "Some things were…. different for you then I remembered them being for me and Ian was an oddball but not in the ways you were." He wrapped his arm around Franklin. "Plus when you were three you had some….crushes that spoke for themselves."

Kaden nodded, gently butting into the conversation. "Like the one time Quark visited us and you followed him around telling him how much you liked him."

Franklin shuttered, his eyes serious. "I was young and stupid."

Ratchet laughed and patted Franklin's shoulder. "Not stupid, just misguided."

Rolin went up to Kaden and held out his hand behind his back. Kaden rolled his eyes and gave Rolin 60 bolts.

Detective Watt dropped Montay's evaluation on the table in front of him. "Congratulations Azimuth." He sat down. "You're sane."

"Thank heavens," Montay said, extremely sarcastic. "I was worried there for a second."

"Don't give me any of that Azimuth." Detective Watt jabbed a finger at Montay. "Just because you're sane doesn't mean any of this makes sense."

Montay nodded slowly. "You think I don't know that? I didn't believe my brother Rolin for a long time so I developed a path for interdimensional travel myself, with what I could get for premade technology." He scooted closer. "And when I succeeded I found out my brother was right. My sister was rebuilding Fastoon and at the time she was pregnant with her daughter, Claire."

"Yes, the chimera girl with heterochromia." Detective Watt sighed and rubbed his forehead. "We've been over this already, Azimuth."

Montay pulled against his chains. "Yeah well, think of how I feel." He groaned. "I'm tired of lying, tired of being one of the few who has kept an entire world from my kind because we weren't sure how anyone would take it." Montay pulled harder on his chains. "Obviously not well."

The door opened again. Detective Watt stood quickly. "Commander in Chief Hounder."

The old Lombax entered the room, looking down on Montay. "What have you gotten yourself into now, Azimuth?"

Montay shrugged. "Talia believes they are ready."

Hounder smirked. "I am inclined to disagree with her, though we can't tell her that." He waved off Detective Watt. "What did they do to you?"

"Broke into my home in the middle of the night, assaulted myself, Leigh, and the kids. And nearly cracked my skull." Montay nodded. "And they took Franklin home, and they saw Fastoon with their own eyes and they still don't believe me."

Hounder rubbed his chin. "That's unfortunate." He looked to Detective Watt. "Release General Azimuth, and drop any charges he has."

"Sir," Detective Watt stated. "I can't just let him go, he's under investigation for kidnapping and murder."

Hounder nodded. "I understand that but as a witness to Kori Azimuth's disappearance I can tell you he's telling the truth." He clasped his hands together. "We sent an extraction team to Polaris to get her but she refused to come back. So we let her go, she has been thriving."

"With all due respect, sir," Detective Watt replied. "How can you be sure of that?"

Hounder looked at Montay. Montay smiled. "Who would have thought my freedom depended on my mother's stills collection?"

Talia started up the machine as George and his parents were standing close by. "We haven't much time." She frowned. "Knowing my brother he's assembled a task force out of their small male population." Talia flipped some switches. "They'll be expecting an army so George has to go first."

George's father stepped up. "If they're expecting an army shouldn't we prepare ourselves?"

Talia shook her head. "George is our first line of defense, plus if we come through armed they may open fire on us." The portal opened and Talia pushed George forward. "Go on George, you should be fine."

George took a deep breath and pushed himself through, coming nose to nose with Ratchet's RYNO.

Franklin dropped his weapon. "Don't shoot!" He yelled, running up to his father. "He's a friend, Dad."

Ratchet lowered his RYNO to see an unarmed, shaking, and pale George in front of him. "Oh, sorry kid."

Franklin hugged George. "It's okay George, it's me. Sorry about my dad."

George clung to Franklin. "Your dad almost shot me."

"We weren't expecting you."

"Your dad almost shot me."

Franklin pulled George away from the portal. "Yeah, I won't let him do that."

George was pulled off Franklin and sat down on the ground. "Your dad almost shot me."

Franklin tried to smile at his dad. "So this is my boyfriend, George," he smoothed out George's hair. "We can just let him recover."

Rolin leaned over to Ratchet. "Kaden choked Kori, you put a gun in your son's boyfriend's face." Ratchet elbowed Rolin.

Talia walked through the portal, looked around and saw the defense line of lombaxes. "Hello, boys. Where is George?"

Franklin still stood next to George. "Here, Aunt Talia."

Kaden lifted his hands. "Unharmed," He shrugged, "if not a bit shook up."

Talia looked at her brother. "What did you lot do to him?" She frowned.

Orion lightly elbowed Ratchet. "He somehow got a RYNO in his face." Ratchet rolled his eyes.

Talia facepalmed. "Sometimes," she shook her head. "I can't handle you, boneheads." She straightened up. "Anyway, Montay is being held with charges of murder and kidnapping."

Rolin shrugged. "Why?"

"Because people believe that he killed all of you, your wives, and children." Talia sighed. "While I'm thinking of it, where are your wives and children?"

Kaden sighed. "We put them somewhere safe."

Talia glared at her brother. "At your age, you should be there too," she held up her hands. "Women, children, and the elderly." She sighed. "We need to get Montay out of his charges, I called in a favor with an old friend but my faith in him is not as high as I would like it to be."

Detective Watt went over Becca's stills, especially the ones of Kori's family. "So your sister left to live on Fastoon. She met Kaden Olympic's son and they started a family."

"That is correct."

"Why?"

"If I knew that, I would have the answer to everything."

"And over time your sister has been essentially growing her family and making repairs to Fastoon."

"Yup."

"Then your family decided to join her. And some of her children came to live with you temporarily before they went back to Fastoon themselves."

"My grandsons were born there and my daughter felt they belonged where they were born. My mother passed away on Fastoon and my son chose to stay with his sister."

"Yet every time you came back here."

"This is my home. Plus someone had to keep an eye on Franklin and Harper, my nephew and niece."

"They had all the freedom to stay or go."

"Yup."

"You were not forcing them to stay here?"

"Nope. My nephew Franklin had someone here, while my niece Harper is attached to the science community."

Detective Watt frowned. "We may have to analyze these stills to see if they aren't doctored."

Montay nodded. "As long as you don't damage them, my mother loved them quite dearly."

Detective Watt nodded. "I can see to that." He grabbed the ones of Kori's family, leaving several behind. Montay saw one on the stack that interested him, so he leaned onto the table to get a look.

It was one of the first stills they had made when they came to the Lombax Dimension. Before Kori got her stripes, before Rolin fully understood that boys had tails but girls didn't, before Montay started school. Grown-up Montay couldn't help but smile, remembering his own children when they had been that small. It didn't help that not too far away was a still of his family. Little nine-year-old Grace, and seven-year-old Mac.

"Dad?" A voice made Montay look up. In the doorway, he saw his son Malcolm.

"Malcolm Azimuth, what are doing here?" Montay hissed at his son. He fought against his chains.

Mac shrugged. "Come to set you free." He ran over to his dad and looked at the bonds. "Any idea how?"

Montay glared at his son. "I'm doing it myself, now go back home before someone finds you here."

Mac laughed and moved away from his father. "No way, Talia and Kaden have a plan."

"That is the last thing I want to hear from your mouth." Montay groaned. "Those two old Lombaxes will be the death of me."

"Hey, you!" An armed officer pointed at Mac. "Get out of there!"

Mac turned around and showed the officer the dark side of the moon. Montay groaned and hissed at his 22-year-old son to pull his pants up. Mac did and took off running calling for all the lazy lard officers to catch him.

This caused quite the upset, including several officers chasing after Mac out the door and down the street.

Montay groaned and had a face of disdain. "One of these days I'm going to hurt that kid." He grumbled to himself.

Mac kept running until he hit the street and then activated his hoverboots. Teasing the officers to keep them chasing him. Soon Genie appeared out of a side alley, Mac jumping onto her board for a ride. Mac continued to tease and belittle the officers. As the officers rounded a corner Talia activated the portal and sent the officers running through the portal, closing it behind them. Mac jumped off Genie's board and she went to the police station herself.

Genie sauntered up to the desk and smiled. "Hello, my name is Ginny Azimuth. I'm here to see my darling uncle Montay." She leaned on the desk. "As it turns out I'm not dead, shocker."

Montay still grumbled to himself. "One day…" he shook his head. "Just one day."

Genie created her own source of excitement, getting a group to follow her, and this cycle regularly continued until the entire police force was on Fastoon. All except Montay and Detective Watt.

Detective Watt looked around before going back into Montay's interrogation room. "It looks like your stills are good…" he said. "How strange."

Montay frowned. "My darling niece Ginny and son Malcolm stole your police department."

"What?"

"Just go ahead, look around." Montay nodded. "I'll wait."

Detective Watt backed out the door and quickly ran around to try and find someone else in the police department. He came back to Montay. "How?"

Montay shrugged. "Distraction, I guess. But don't ask me where they took them." He nodded. "Though happily enough my son was the only one showing extra skin. I still don't like that he was doing it, but at least it wasn't Genie."

"Your family is strange." Detective Watt said.

"You get used to it."

Kori stood before the pile of police officers. "Welcome to Fastoon." She smiled. "My name is Kori, you need not to be afraid of us." Kori sweetly took the new baby into her arms. "For we are not a threat to you, in fact, we welcome you home."

Ratchet looked at the wide-eyed police officers. "That might have been a bit too much, Kori."

Kaden looked to his sister, who opened many portals all over the lombax dimension. The older folks knew what they were but the youth were fascinated and curious. The first individuals that came through were wide-eyed and looking all around.

Kori gave her grandson back to his parents. "Welcome." She climbed up onto her house. "Please, come." Kori looked out onto the crowd that was accumulating under her. "The place you stand is the place of your ancestors. If you so choose you can come here and live on Fastoon." She steeled herself. "Tachyon and the Cragmites have no power here, they are gone. We can finally return home or build a completely new one." Kori gestured grandly. "This is our world, it is the Lombax homeworld. Together we can make it greater than it ever was."

Orion cheered and held up Simon, who cheered with him. Many of the youth picked up the cheer together. The cheer spread like wildfire, and soon organization was established, homes were found for everyone who wanted to stay.

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 **Thank you so much for reading! Please tell me what you think! See you next time! Bye!**


	8. Mac's Truth

**Welcome back! Back with another installment of our story. It feels like forever since I've posted lol. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. Please, leave me a review. I'd love to know your thoughts and feelings about this chapter. Peace!**

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With more lombaxes around the expansion and rebuilding exploded with activity. They hadn't had a chance to run a census of the number of lombaxes now living on Fastoon, but it was much larger than it was before. Fastoon became recolonized quickly by those looking for better or different lives.

Medical personnel were quickly dispatched, checking on the long term Fastoon residents. Including a pregnancy test and prenatal care for Celeste, and taking care of the babies. Well, all the Lombaxes born on Fastoon so it was a rough first week for Claire, Franklin, Ian, Liza, Rosie, Simon, Baby, and Ratchet.

They eventually let Montay go, and he made his choice. He chose to be with his family and Leigh on Fastoon, not married yet but it was a frequent topic of discussion. And teasing from his siblings.

Celeste's pregnancy, unfortunately, had a lot of bumps, and by the time she was halfway done with her pregnancy, she was tired of bedrest. Daily entertainment (and bedrest enforcers) were assigned, and on this particular day these suckers, (sorry, individuals), were Grace and Mac.

"Why can't I kill Zeon?" Celeste asked, after their 17th game of cards. "It's his fault I'm stuck here."

Mac shuffled the cards again. "I thought that was because of the placenta detaching." Celeste stuck her tongue out at him before slumping back onto her mountain of pillows.

Grace smiled. "Luckily both you and the baby are okay, and that's all that matters." She sighed and looked at her brother. "Zeon would've been inconsolable if something had happened."

Celeste crossed her arms and tears ran down her face. "I'm just so bored sitting here all day and night." She rubbed her tears away. "That and I'm so emotional that absolutely nothing can make me cry."

Mac smirked. "Well, you're almost halfway. Then you'll be a mom and you will only be kind of emotional again."

Grace nodded. "How are you adjusting to the idea of being a mom?"

Celeste shrugged and drew circles on her rounded stomach. "It's still a bit too much for me." She sighed and looked away. "I thought I just got used to being an aunt, but being a mom had never crossed my mind."

"At least you get time to adjust to the idea." Mac dolled out the cards. "Grace found out she was going to be a mom after Dante was born."

Grace nodded. "Then Duncan was born and I was like, 'Lance is never going to believe this!'." She rubbed the back of her neck. "Though Lance took it much better than I thought he would."

Celeste snickered a little bit. "Then he called Mom and Dad and told them they were grandparents." She smiled. "I thought my mom was going to faint."

Mac shrugged. "To be honest I thought Lance was going to faint."

"You three need to stop making fun of me." Lance walked into the room carrying Celeste's lunch. "Especially since one of you is my wife." Grace got up and gently kissed Lance.

Celeste smiled. "One of us is also your sister. Your grumpy, bored, hormonal, pregnant, bedridden sister." She narrowed her eyes at Lance. "Bite me."

Mac got up to get Celeste's lunch. "I'm a brother-in-law, so technically I'm allowed to do it." He grabbed the tray from Lance and took it to Celeste, jokingly talking away the sharp utensils.

Celeste held out her hand. "Hand them over, or you will get them in your hand." Mac quickly gave them to her.

Lance pulled away from Grace. "Oh, Mac, there is a man looking for you. I told him you'd meet him at the Court when you had time."

Mac looked at his watch. "I can go now if you're going to stay in my place."

Lance nodded. "That I can do, I can lift Celeste."

Celeste spoke around the food in her mouth. "Lift me, you die."

Grace smiled. "Go ahead, we've got her."

Mac semi hugged Grace and told Celeste to kick her brother's butt. He made a quick trip to the Court to find someone waiting there for him. The older Lombax looked just like him but older. Mac approached him slowly. "I'm Malcolm Azimuth, are you looking for me?"

The older Lombax smiled. "Hey, kid. Your mom told me you'd be here." He extended his hand to Mac. "Name's Tony."

Mac nodded. "Right, Mom's boyfriend." He shook his hand. "My mom isn't here in case you were wondering."

"I know, kid." Tony grinned. "Your mom thought it was time you met your real dad."

Mac frowned. "Excuse me?" Mac's chest became tight and uncomfortable.

Tony spread his arms. "Don't you see the family resemblance?" He wrapped his arm around Mac's shoulder. "You really didn't think you were stuffy old Montay's kid did you?"

The vice tightened around Mac's chest. It didn't make sense to him yet he couldn't deny any of it. He did look like this stranger, but Montay had said both he and Grace got recessive genes. But the possibility of that happening wasn't very high. Plus Grace looked like their grandfather Alister, and if they both had gotten recessive genes then they both would look like Alister. But Mac didn't.

"I don't understand," Mac told Tony, breathless. "What do you mean...you're my real dad?"

Tony roughly rubbed Mac's arm. "You see your mom was bored. Montay was so busy working and taking care of Lacy he had no time for your mom anymore. So she found greener pastures, and then whoops." He patted Mac's shoulder, still smiling. "Your mom had you."

Mac's chest got painfully tighter, it felt like he was gasping for air. "You're lying. You have to be." He shook his head wildly. "My mom wouldn't…." Mac stopped. His mother would. He couldn't put it past her, even in his most sugar-coated memories of her.

Tony held Mac's shoulders. "Sorry kid but Montay's not your dad. You should come home with me and meet your real family." He still smiled. "Mac Utility."

Mac pulled himself away from Tony, desperate to get away from this almost stranger. "I can't take this. I have to go." He jetted back so quickly Tony couldn't even call his name.

Mac found himself in a still abandoned part of the currently growing city. He had an unknown burn in his chest, he just had to destroy something. So he smashed all he could until the burn went away, leaving quite the mess.

"Mac?"

He turned around to see Kori standing behind him. Mac just turned back around and sat down on the ground. "What?"

"Are you alright?" Kori spoke gently. "I heard the destruction for your father's house."

Tears of frustration and anger erupted from Mac's eyes. "No, I'm not." He curled up in a ball. "Just...leave."

Kori frowned and she gently approached Mac to pet his head. "Whatever it is Mac, I'm sure it will be okay."

"It can't be," Mac whispered as shook his head. Kori sighed and gently kissed his head before leaving him alone.

Mac sat there for what felt like hours. He sat there stewing in this new realization, and the longer it sat in his stomach the worst it felt.

"Hey," The voice of Montay came from behind him. "Your aunt Kori told me you were out here." Montay sat down on the ground next to Mac. "Feel like eating?"

Mac sniffled and folded his arms. "She's not my aunt."

"My sister is your aunt, Mac." Montay smiled. "You know that's how family relations work."

Mac scowled at Montay, Montay's smile faded away. "She's not my aunt because you're not my dad." Mac slammed his fists on the ground, almost screaming. "But you already knew that didn't you?"

Montay frowned. "Did I know I didn't sire you? Yes." He scratched the back of his neck. "Did I know your mom was seeing Tony 'behind my back'?" Montay's fingers did the quotes. "Yes." He sadly nodded.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Mac frowned deeply, letting his tears run down his face. "Why did you lie to me my entire life?"

Montay nodded, frowning sadly. "Because by the time your mother gave birth to you I had grown to love you like you were my own." He sighed and rubbed his temple. "Call Tony anything you want but I helped your mother through her pregnancy with you. I got to see you grow and I was with your mother through it all." Montay couldn't look at Mac, not ashamed but unsure. "At first it was for Grace, I didn't want her to lose me like I had lost my father. And then…." Montay smiled wistfully. "I heard your first wail, and I got to hold you. It was in that moment I knew I couldn't let you go."

Montay sighed and continued. "Sure, I was upset with your mother when your stripes came in yellow. But I grew past that as I saw you grow and helped you through all your growing pains." He looked at Mac with a smile. "I may not have sired you but I am here for you no matter what because that's what fathers do for their sons."

Mac looked around for a bit before looking at Montay. "But why lie? Why not just take Grace and leave me behind?"

"I couldn't leave you with your Mom. And it didn't feel like I was lying to you because in my heart I knew that I was your Dad." Montay hugged Mac. "Plus I couldn't separate you and Grace, not after I had lost my own sister."

Mac sniffled but didn't hug Montay back. "But I'm not your son."

"Yes, you are." Montay pulled back, keeping his hands on Mac's arms. "I was there when your mother gave birth to you. I taught you how to talk, how to walk, and how to do your math homework." He gently touched Mac's face. "Biological connection doesn't make a family, it is the relationships you have with them.

"There were days my love for you felt like a cruel joke, that I'll tell you but there were days where I couldn't go on without you." Montay smiled sadly. "The day we left your Mom I wouldn't of dreamt of leaving you behind. You needed someone to care for you, someone to love you. And I knew that I had no right to be your father, but I loved you too much to even think of leaving you with your mother."

"Were there days," Mac sniffled. "You hated me?"

Montay laughed weakly and shook his head. "There were days you tested my patience, like the day you mooned almost the entire Lombax Dimension police force." He smiled at Mac. "And when you put glue in Grace's hair." Father and son shared a laugh. "But, Mac…" Montay rubbed Mac's cheek with his thumb. "There was never a moment I hated you, not for a second. Just the moments I wished I had the honor to help your mother make you because you are a good kid and I'm honored to have raised you."

Mac hugged his dad. "But what do I do now? Tony wants me to meet his family….my family."

Montay took a deep breath. "That's your choice. You can choose to embrace a new family as your own or you can stay with the family you know." He held his son tight. "You can always come back to us, we will always welcome you back. You won't lose us, your family can only grow."

Mac nodded and pulled away. "I'll think on it more, you know, before I really decide."

"As is your right." Montay smiled. "Now, dinner is on the table. We'll save a plate for you if you want to join us." Montay got up, kissed his son on the head, and left Mac with his thoughts.

Mac took a deep breath and sat for a while, trying to make sense of all that had happened.

"Dinner is served." Zeon carried food into his and Celeste's room, onto a makeshift table on their bed between Celeste and himself. "Dinner for two."

Celeste smiled and placed her hand on her stomach. "Two and a half."

Zeon smiled back and sat across from Celeste. "I'm guessing you were stuck with Grace today." He served himself. "I know how much you hate bedrest."

"Yeah, well, I gotta deal with it." Celeste sighed and served herself. "I personally don't want me or the baby to die."

Zeon's smile turned sad. "Yeah…."

Celeste frowned, "Zeon, you know I don't mean anything by that. It's just…."

"I understand." Zeon nodded. "I've just grown used to the idea that I'm going to be a dad and you're going to be a mom. And I almost lost both of you. The two loves of my life."

Tears ran down Celeste's face. She sniffled and quickly tried to rub the tears away. "God, Zeon," She laughed weakly. "I don't need any help crying. My tear ducts will run dry before the baby comes."

Zeon handed her a tissue. "Sorry," he laughed. "We just need to invest in eye drops for you."

Celeste dried her eyes and blew her nose. "Shut up," she giggled and gently pushed him. "You're such a stink brain."

Zeon leaned in and kissed her gently. "I'm your stink brain." He whispered.

Celeste kissed him back, smiling. "And I wouldn't change it." She giggled into his lips. Celeste touched Zeon's face with the tips of her fingers, only pulling away when she felt something move in her abdomen.

Zeon watched Celeste, concerned. "Everything okay?"

Celeste held up a finger, putting her other hand on her stomach. She felt the movement again, a laugh passed her lips as she smiled at Zeon. "The baby moved," she whispered at first. "Zeon, I felt our baby move."

Zeon broke into a wild smile, Celeste let him touch her stomach and he felt the baby move too. He had to fight off calling his mother to tell her the good news, he sat there with Celeste just enjoying that moment.

Celeste started to cry again but Zeon gently rubbed away her tears. "We're having a baby." She whispered to him. "We really are having a baby."

Zeon lightly kissed her lips. "And you're going to be the greatest Mom ever."

Mac took a deep breath, stood up, and joined his father, sister, and the rest of his family for dinner. Tony returned to Alice empty-handed.

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 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed it. Don't forget to leave me a review, I'd be forever grateful. See you next time!**


	9. The Cycle Renews

**Hello again! Welcome back. Thank you so much for reading the story so far, and I hope you enjoy this chapter as well! Please, leave me a review and tell me what you think. Enjoy.**

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Ratchet sat out with Cassius babysitting the almost 4-year-old Simon and 5-month-old Virgil, who looked just like his grandpa Ratchet. Rolin came to join them, lowering himself down into the seat slowly. "I'm a soon-to-be Grandpa, so I'm reserving this seat for when my grandkid finally comes."

"Not for a while yet," Cassius smiled. "How is Celeste?"

Ratchet lightly elbowed Rolin, smiling. "How ready is she to kill Zeon?"

"She has been for months." Rolin nodded. "And they had the option to find out what the baby is, but want it to be a surprise."

Cassius laughed and got out of his seat to play with little Virgil. "The best kind of surprise, you can't make any expectations." Virgil giggled and reached for his toy wrench Cassius held out for him. "Are they going to wait to name the baby or are they picking names now?"

Rolin shrugged. "Don't know. I think they're more concerned that Celeste actually obeys her bed rest orders." He smiled at Ratchet. "The more time passes the more restless she grows."

Ratchet laughed. "Not one to let the grass grow under her feet."

Virgil started to fuss so Cassius picked up the littlest one. "Like this one." Cassius nodded to Rolin and Ratchet. "Excuse me." Cassius carried Virgil into the house to see to whatever needs the baby had.

Montay approached the group, Dante and Duncan in each hand. "Is this where the babysitters and Rolin hang out?" The little twins joined Simon playing with toys set out for them.

Rolin settled into his chair, wiggling around in the seat and closing his eyes. "I am simply reserving my spot for when my grandkid comes."

"Or grandkids," Montay smirked and joined the three youngsters.

"Don't even joke about that." Rolin laughed. "Celeste is only having one baby and she's ready to kill Zeon."

Kori popped her head out the door. "Ratchet, have you seen your father around yet today?"

This stopped Ratchet for a moment. "Actually, no." He got up. "I better go check on him, he might be still asleep." Ratchet made sure Simon knew to listen to Montay and Rolin, and Cassius until he got back.

Ratchet walked to Kaden's house, entering a still and quiet room. Ratchet looked around, "Dad?" He called. "Dad it's nearly noon, you can't still be asleep." Ratchet found Kaden still in bed. "Come on Dad, time to get the day started."

Kaden didn't stir. He was still and peaceful.

Ratchet frowned and knelt down next to his father. "Dad?" He touched Kaden's face to find it cold. "Dad…." Dread settled into his stomach. "No….Dad…." Ratchet held back his tears, he rested his head on Kaden's chest to try and find a heartbeat.

Nothing.

Ratchet told his family, they held a funeral service, and they buried Kaden next to his best friend. Little Simon cried for his great grandpa, but his parents could offer him no comfort. Talia said goodbye to her younger brother, happy he finally was able to get some rest. Lombaxes that had never known Kaden came to mourn him, show the keeper of the Dimensionator the respect he deserved.

Leigh took time off of work to start watching the little ones until Ratchet and Kori were well again to watch Simon and Virgil when Claire and Orion were busy. The boys weren't sure of Leigh at first but they warmed up to her.

Astrid got to spend some time with Celeste, mostly keeping her butt in bed. Zeon had to take over Ian's work while he wasn't feeling up to it. Genie came home from traveling the universe and Harper joined her family on Fastoon, helping keep Celeste entertained and taking care of things that needed to be taken care of.

Rolin stood aside and watched his family, his nieces and nephews taking care of their parents. Mac spending time with Montay. His daughters Genie, Harper, and Celeste spending time with Astrid. Little Virgil, Simon, Dante, and Duncan grew like weeds. Claire kissing Orion goodbye as he left again. Then came the day he became a grandpa.

Celeste woke Zeon up in the middle of the night, mostly by hitting him over the head with several of her pillows. How many pillows did Zeon get hit with before he came close to waking up? 9, one of which was his own.

"Get your butt up, Zeon." Celeste shook him. "It's not like I'm in labor or anything."

Zeon sat up and tried to rub the sleep out of his eyes. "What?"

Celeste shook her head and sighed. "Oh, Z-" She flinched and grabbed one of her pillows. "Ow, ow, ow." Celeste grimaced.

"The baby's coming." Zeon breathed, his eyes wide. "The baby is coming!" He leapt out of bed and started to gather up things. "Baby's coming, baby's coming." Zeon ran around like a chicken with his head cut off. "We have to get to the hospital, we need our stuff," He kept running, right out the bedroom door with the bags.

Celeste sighed and picked up her communicator. "Call Rolin Azimuth." She told the device.

Rolin picked up shortly after the call connected. "Celeste? Is everything okay?"

"Things have gotten interesting." Celeste smiled. "Your son left for the hospital without me."

Zeon came running back in. "I'm here!" He plopped the bags on their bed. "Did you call my parents?"

Rolin sat up in bed. "Believe or not, Zeon. Remember to bring Celeste."

Celeste laughed for a moment before flinching again, she grabbed Zeon's hand and squeezed hard. Zeon's hand cracked and exploded with pain. Zeon gasped but shut his mouth to not scream out in pain. Rolin got out of bed, telling Astrid to wake up. Together Rolin and Astrid went to Zeon and Celeste's home to pick up the young couple. When they got there Celeste was checking the bags for things they actually needed and Zeon was icing his hand.

Rolin carried Celeste out to their ship and Astrid drug her son out. Celeste got checked in to the new maternity ward, Zeon being dragged in by the front of his shirt. Hours went by, a new day started but still no new arrival. Zeon went out to visit his parents in the waiting room. "Hey." He smiled, holding his hand behind his back.

Rolin looked at his son. "Hey," He questioned. "How is she?"

Zeon smiled sadly. "Progress is slow but there is still progress being made." He accidentally let his mother see his hand.

Astrid took his hand from behind his back. "Zeon," She gently turned his hand over in hers. "What the heck did you do to your hand?" Under his fur bruises had formed on his hand, and he winced when his mother touched it.

"It's fine, Mom." Zeon smiled, pain in his eyes. "Celeste just squeezed my hand too hard."

Astrid raised an eyebrow at her son. "Zeon, you should get this checked out. Your hand is bruised and you don't want me to touch it." She let his hand go. "It might be broken."

"Mom, really it's fine." Zeon tried to smile and hid his hand away from his mother, without hurting himself.

Rolin stood. "Astrid, you go stay with Celeste. Zeon and I are going to get his hand checked out."

"Dad, I-"

Astrid stood up. "Your father is right, Zeon." She pulled Zeon up and pushed him to Rolin. "Celeste will be fine, I'll be right with her."

"Mom," Zeon held out his good hand. "What if I miss the baby being born? Celeste will never forgive me."

Rolin pulled his son away. "She'll be fine. Progress is slow."

Astrid smiled. "Don't let him get away, Rolin. I promise I'll stay with Celeste until Zeon gets back." Astrid got directions to Celeste's room and sat down in the room with her. Celeste was sleeping, as she had been given medication for the pain. Not too much time passed before Celeste woke up and turned to see not Zeon but Astrid.

"Where's Zeon?" Celeste murmured, nearly incapacitated by exhaustion. "He didn't run away, did he?"

Astrid smiled and rubbed Celeste's hand. "No, he'll be back soon." She moved closer to Celeste. "How are feeling? Any pain?"

Celeste sighed. "No pain," She shook her head weakly. "But I am still very tired."

"Then I shan't bother you anymore." Astrid nodded, sitting back. "Try to get some sleep, you're going to need it."

"So they keep telling me." Celeste breathed. She sighed and easily slipped back into a deep sleep.

Astrid smiled softly and remembered when she was in labor with Zeon. It took Rolin almost 5 years to convince her to have another baby. Little Harper was born, and then Genie. Astrid looked out the window, and she imagined her mother looking out this view. Her mother had long since passed away, not long after the birth of her youngest sister, but when Astrid was born she was on Fastoon.

Her son was born in the Lombax Dimension but her grandchild would share her birthplace. To think of herself as a grandmother made Astrid happy in a way she hadn't known before. She had thought it would have never happened, how her children never really interested themselves in romance. Astrid silently thanked Celeste for getting her son's butt moving.

Rolin took Zeon to the emergency department. "Yes, my son hurt his hand."

The nurse smiled at them. "How exactly did you hurt your hand?"

"Well," Zeon chuckled. "You see, upstairs my girlfriend is having our child. She kind of….squeezed my hand." He held up his bruised hand. "And she did some damage, it appears."

"Oh, my." The nurse giggled. "We'll see about getting you an x-ray, to see if it's broken. Then we'll have you taken care of soon."

Zeon nodded. "That'd be great." Rolin grinned and pulled his son over to one of the seats.

"How are you feeling?" Rolin smirked. "You're en route to becoming a dad."

Zeon shrugged. "I'm sure my feelings will change but I'm just trying to get through Celeste giving birth to the baby first." They were called back and Zeon got his x-ray done. His hand, was in fact, broken in three places. Rolin had a nice laugh while Zeon got his cast, then they were released to go back to Maternity.

Rolin walked but Zeon ran, to be met by his mother who told him progress on the baby front had slowed. Or at least plateaued. Zeon completely ignored this when he heard Celeste groaning inside the room, quickly making his way into the room to check on Celeste. Rolin smiled at Astrid. "They're going to be fine."

Astrid nodded, smiling at Rolin. "But we're still going to sit out here in case they need us."

"Oh yeah." Rolin kissed Astrid's cheek.

Zeon rushed in and almost ran over the doctor. He went back to his post right by Celeste's bed. She was awake, sitting up and groaning. Celeste smiled weakly at Zeon. "We are not having any more kids."

"Yeah." Zeon agreed, taking her hand. "Especially since I hate to see you in pain."

Celeste laughed a little. "Maybe we can get you worked on today."

"Sorry." Zeon held up his broken hand, smiling. "Already had some work done today."

"What did you do?" She asked, smiling a little.

Zeon smirked. "Remind me never to get you pregnant again, because when you squeezed my hand at the house you broke it."

Celeste snickered before bursting out laughing. She rested her hand on her stomach, trying to stop laughing. "Don't make me laugh, it hurts so much."

Zeon smiled and rested his good hand on top of her hand on her stomach. "I've missed you laughing at me."

Celeste smiled for a moment before she closed her eyes tight, breathing through a contraction. Zeon breathed deeply with her, as it was the only thing he could think to do. The pain passed and Celeste smiled at Zeon again. "The baby is being a pain right now but….after waiting so long for them I wish they would hurry up."

"Me too." Zeon grinned and kissed Celeste's cheek.

A knock came from the door, the couple turned to see Harper and Genie at the door, each smiling and carrying a gift. Zeon invited in his sisters, Celeste smiled weakly at them. Harper lightly hugged Celeste before sitting down next to her. "We brought you and the baby some things, to hopefully cheer you up."

"And maybe motivate the baby to come faster." Genie leaned on Zeon's seat.

Celeste smiled and took Harper's present. "That would be appreciated." She opened it to find a newborn onesie and a stick that was firm but made with soft fabric. "What is this?" Celeste held the stick.

Genie laughed. "It's called a dang it stick. You're supposed to hit Zeon with it."

"What?" Zeon got out before being whacked upside the head with the stick. He turned back around to see a smiling Celeste and laughing sisters. "Feel better?" Zeon slyly smiled, uninjured.

Celeste held the stick happily. "Surprisingly, yes." She smiled at Harper and Genie. "This stick is so that I can hit Zeon without hurting him?"

"Yup." Harper grinned. "If I had found one earlier I would have given it to you when you found out you were pregnant."

Genie smirked. "Or when you were put on bed rest." Zeon opened his mouth but Genie shut it again. "Now open my gift, I can't wait any longer!" She bounced a little.

Celeste smiled and opened Genie's gift. It was a mini shirt that said 'My mom is the best!'. "Cute, Genie."

Genie shrugged. "I know the dang it stick is going to get more use, so why try and upstage it?"

"You got that right." Zeon held up his broken hand. "Celeste already made her point."

Harper gasped. "You broke his hand?"

"It was an accident." Celeste shrugged. "Otherwise he is unharmed."

Zeon smirked. "Besides my pride because Dad dragged me down to get my hand fixed." Genie and Harper laughed at their brother, hugging him. The three siblings broke apart when Celeste cried out in pain. Zeon rubbed her back and looked helpless, trying to be supportive as Celeste breathed through the pain.

Harper and Genie looked at each other. The sisters agreed and said goodbye to Celeste and Zeon. Lance walked in for a moment, turned around, and was pushed back into the room by Genie and Harper.

Celeste perked up at Lance, trying to smile. Lance smiled at her. "I always have the worst timing."

Zeon had Lance take his seat. "Not the worst." He sat behind Celeste, rubbing her back.

Celeste laughed. "Yes, you do, little brother." She breathed easier as the pain subsided. "What are you doing here, bugger?"

"Bugger?" Lance smirked. "Haven't heard that nickname in a while." He gently took his sister's hand. "I just had to join your little support group, especially since I wasn't there for Grace when she had Dante and Duncan."

Celeste shook her head. "You didn't know about them, how could you have been there for their birth?" She still smiled at her brother. "Besides I-" She groaned, leaning into the pain.

Lance looked at Zeon. "So soon after the last one?" Lance asked.

Zeon took a deep breath and just gently rubbed Celeste's back. "At least progress is being made."

Lance nodded at Zeon, he got up to leave but Celeste grabbed his wrist. She panted and smiled at her brother. "Like I was saying, bugger," she winced but continued. "Besides, I would be honored to have you here with me when your niece or nephew enters the world. If it's okay with Zeon."

Zeon smiled at Lance, still rubbing Celeste's back. "I'll give him my seat."

Celeste smiled at Zeon for a moment before her face fell. "You may have to." Her breathing quickened. "The baby is coming. NOW."

Zeon quickly ran and got the doctor, almost running over several nurses. Rolin and Astrid looked at each other.

Astrid looked at her watch. "How long have we been sitting here?"

Rolin looked at Astrid's watch. "Long enough that Zeon had been born already." Genie and Harper went back to their parents' house, and they waited for news. Things with Celeste, Zeon, and Lance were much more interesting and loud. Very loud, Lance almost got a broken hand too.

What felt like hours later Zeon finally got to cut the cord and see his daughter. "It's a girl." He whispered to Celeste, kissing her head and smiling. "She's beautiful, just like her Mommy."

Celeste smiled weakly. "You better say that after all the work I put into her." She touched her forehead to Zeon's. "And her cries sound just like yours."

Zeon laughed and kissed Celeste. "I'll take it." He was handed the tiny baby, clean and wrapped. "I'm going to have to worry about the boys with this one." Zeon showed Celeste the little baby who had her coat color, then he handed the baby over to its mother.

Celeste took the baby, shaky and nervous. Celeste had never seen herself as maternal, and her thoughts on the infant she was handed weren't motherly and sweet, which broke her own heart. She mostly just looked at this little thing and wondered how in the universe did she get herself in this mess.

Was something wrong with her for not feeling instantly in love with this little thing she just gave birth to? How could she be a mom? But….could she leave Zeon to raise this little thing on his own? Could she pretend she hadn't spent the last almost year of her life carrying, growing, and supporting this little thing? Would Zeon hate her if she left? Could she leave Zeon?

Celeste tried to smile at the baby, but she quickly handed the baby back to Zeon. "Go show your parents, they've been waiting for a long time."

Zeon smiled and kissed her head before taking the baby to his parents. Lance looked at his sister. "Are you okay, Celeste?"

"To be honest, no." Celeste frowned. "It didn't….happen." She waved her hands.

Lance looked around. "What didn't happen?" He whispered to his sister.

"You know," Celeste sniffled, "I didn't feel that spark you're supposed to feel when you hold your baby for the first time." She buried her face in her hands, trying not to cry. "I got nothing."

Lance sighed and put his hand on Celeste's shoulder. "Sometimes those things aren't instant." He tried to smile at his sister. "But that doesn't make you Mom."

"No, Lance." Celeste rubbed her eyes. "But that means I'm just like her. You first met Dante and Duncan you instantly became their dad, you loved them."

"You instantly became their aunt." Lance smiled. "You got to know your daughter as a little thing in your stomach that wouldn't stop kicking you, now you have to get to know your daughter as her own person."

Celeste put her hand on her stomach. "I….just can't wrap my mind around being a mom. And I seriously thought about leaving her and Zeon alone."

"Celeste." Lance sighed. "Are you really considering it?"

"Are you?" Zeon's voice came into the room. He stood in the doorway, frowning and holding his newborn daughter. "I mean if you…."

Tears ran down Celeste's face. "No." She wept. "I just…."

"Celeste, if you want to leave…." Zeon walked in and sat next to her.

She tried to stop her tears. "Zeon, I didn't mean…." Celeste shook her head. "I couldn't leave you two."

"Then why are you talking about it?" Zeon frowned.

Lance sighed. "Because she feels like our mom, who left us."

"Lance." Celeste turned and struck her brother on the arm. "Shut up."

Zeon looked at the siblings, rocking the baby gently. "You're not your mom, Celeste. I'm not my dad, sure I'm like him but I'm not him." He held out the baby to Celeste. "Like our daughter is not you."

Celeste sniffled and took the baby in her arms. The little one opened her lavender eyes the littlest bit before yawning deeply. A new warm feeling beat in Celeste's heart, and she started to cry again. This little one, her daughter, warmed her heart to being a mother. Her daughter fell asleep in her arms, Celeste sniffled and kissed her daughter's head.

A love she had never felt before warmed her and ran down her face as tears. Celeste held the baby close, her baby. She grinned ear to ear, feeling like a hot mess.

Zeon leaned close to Celeste. "Are you okay, C-" She grabbed the front of his shirt and kissed his lips. They kissed for a moment before Celeste let go of his shirt and smiled up at him. "Is that a yes?"

"I love you, Zeon Azimuth," Celeste whispered to him. "I want to marry you."

Zeon smiled. "You Watts do things a bit backward, huh?" He glanced at Lance. "Not that I'm complaining."

Hours later, Zeon sat feeding the baby with a bottle and Celeste looked out the window. Celeste could see the growing city, the dark buildings and the ones with lights. That day changed their lives but to some, it was just another day.

"Hey, Celeste," Zeon whispered. Celeste turned to see Zeon holding the baby up to his face, putting her forehead against his. "I never thought I could love something so much, you know?"

Celeste smiled and let tears run down her face. "Yeah, I'm looking at both my favorite beings in the universe."

"Do you really, you know, want to marry me?" Zeon lowered the baby into his lap. He smiled shyly at Celeste. "Because I would accept that offer."

Celeste reached for the baby and Zeon handed her over. She smiled at her daughter. "If you really want to be stuck with me for the rest of your life."

"Not a problem." Zeon moved onto the bed, next to Celeste. He gently kissed her temple, whispering in her ear. "Just no more kids, I don't need any more broken bones."

Celeste laughed weakly. "It was an accident."

Zeon kissed Celeste. "Celeste Watt." He whispered to her. "Will you marry me?"

"You have to ask?" Celeste kissed him back.

Weeks later Rolin sat with the other grandfathers, his granddaughter napping in his arms. She still had her mother's coat, but she got Zeon's stripes and Celeste's eyes. She almost looked like colorful Duncan, they had to keep reminding the toddler twins that she was their cousin, not their sister.

Celeste approached the group, smiling. "Old men, young men, and a little girl." She teased. "Gimme my baby." Rolin gladly handed over the baby to be inspected. "We've been a good girl, I know."

Rolin nodded. "Oh, yes. Very good, better than my own daughters when they were her age."

"That's not saying much." Montay snickered. He knelt on the ground, playing with the little boys. He made noises and pretended the ship in his hand was actually flying, the boys following his example.

Ratchet and Cassius smiled at each other. Ratchet picked up Virgil, the troublemaker at 6 months old. "Does the littlest one of us have a name?" He gave the little fussy boy a teething ring, which soothed him.

"Rolin didn't tell you?" Celeste gave a look to her future father-in-law. She smiled and rocked her little girl.

Cassius smirked. "When he wasn't sleeping."

Rolin feigned surprise. "I was not sleeping." He wagged his finger at the other grandfathers. "I told you I was resting my eyes."

"Alright," Celeste smirked, "simmer down there, old man." She sighed and looked at her baby girl. "May I introduce you to my daughter, Pax Azimuth." Celeste kissed her daughter on the head, rubbing her thumb on the sleeping baby's cheek.

Leigh slowly approached the group, beside Celeste to marvel at the baby. "She's getting so big."

Celeste smiled at Leigh. "I know, it blows my mind that she was born earlier this month." She handed the baby back to Rolin. "Zeon has been over the moon, and sleep deprived."

Rolin smiled. "Just like his old man when he was born."

"On that note," Leigh interrupted. "I need to speak with Montay."

Montay tilted his head toward Leigh for a moment. "Alright." He pointed at the boys. "I'm going to be right back," Montay gently booped them each on the nose. "Listen to Grandpa Ratchet, Grandpa Cassius, and Grandpa Rolin."

Dante and Duncan nodded. "Ok, Papa Montay." They echoed.

Montay kissed each of their heads. "That's my boys." Leigh helped him up off the ground and the couple went for a walk. Montay waited for her to bring something up but the longer Leigh remained silent the more Montay worried. "Should I be worried?"

Leigh sighed and shook her head. "Yes and no."

"That's not helping me feel better." Montay rubbed her arm. "Are you okay? I know you haven't been feeling well lately."

Leigh nodded and rubbed her temple. "About that, I went to the Doctor and we need to talk about what they told me."

"Leigh, you're scaring me." Montay stopped her and took both her hands in his. "Please tell me you aren't dying."

Leigh shook her head. "No, I'm not dying." She sniffled and looked at him with tears in her eyes. "I'm pregnant."

That stopped Montay's brain for a moment. When function resumed again he fell to his knees, worrying Leigh. He rested his forehead on their hands.

Leigh quickly knelt down to him. "Montay? Are you okay?" She let go of his hand to rest her hand on his cheek. "Please tell me I didn't give you a stroke."

Montay met Leigh's eyes, distraught. "We have grandchildren, Leigh. Mac is almost 23." His breathing quickened. "We're both almost 70, ourselves."

"I know, Montay." Leigh frowned.

Montay took a deep breath. "And are you and the baby okay?"

"Yes, my age is a concern but the baby is perfectly fine." Leigh nodded. "I'm more worried about you."

Montay shook his head. "I'm fine you're the one carrying our child." He slowed and tears filled his eyes. "Our baby," Montay slowly smiled. "We're having a baby."

"Yes, Montay." Leigh smiled. "Better late than never?"

Montay nodded, gently kissing Leigh. "And there is no one else I'd rather start a family with than you." He whispered to her. Montay smiled. "I think we should get married now."

"Yes." Leigh agreed. "Before our new arrival comes."

Montay kissed Leigh again before they got back up and let Montay resume babysitting. The other grandfathers teased Montay for leaving just to visit with Leigh, but Montay let them have their fun. He was already planning their wedding.

Family dinners hadn't expanded a terrible amount but the dinner table got larger to accommodate for the new and the growing older generations. The children growing into adulthood, having children of their own. Zeon held little Pax, the littlest one tearing through a bottle. Claire juggling her two sons.

Montay patted Leigh's hand before he stood. "Excuse me, my family," he announced. "Leigh and I have finally decided to get married."

A collective cheer erupted ending with Mac and Grace looking at their father and grinning wide. "Finally!" They said.

"And," Montay tried his best to smile. "We're having a baby."

Mac blinked, smile gone. "What?"

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 **Thank you so much for reading! Hope you enjoyed the story, please remember to give me a review. See you next time!**


	10. Something New

**Welcome back, this is the next chapter of our story. Please enjoy, I'll let you get to it because it is long. But don't forget to leave me a review, so I know what you think and if I need to make any improvements. But I'll shut up so you can read. Please enjoy.**

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"You can't have a new baby." Mac cried, pointing at his father and future stepmother. "You're ancient!"

Grace elbowed her brother. "I agree with Mac." She glanced at Lance before looking at her father. "Dad, you're going to be 70 in two years, I'm sorry but I don't think you two should become new parents right now."

Leigh looked at Montay before turning to Grace. "It wasn't what we planned, no, but your father and I decided it's what we wanted." She sighed and smiled sadly. "To let our family grow, the universe willing."

Mac put his hands over his eyes. "I can see it, I'm going blind." He leaned toward his sister. "Grace put me out of my misery, I can see it."

Montay sat and looked at his family. "I know you all probably think we're crazy but," he gently took Leigh's hand. "I want to allow the universe to show us its plan. If our child does make it, and our family grows then I am content. I will have my beloved children," Montay smiled at Grace, Lance, and Mac, "my beloved grandchildren," Dante and Duncan, "and my beloved wife." Montay kissed Leigh's cheek.

"Montay." Astrid smiled. "We're your family and we love you."

Rolin nodded. "Though we may be concerned about you also."

Leigh looked at Rolin, laughing. "When I told him I was pregnant I thought he had a stroke!"

"Which I didn't." Montay pointed at everyone. "I know you all are awaiting that day. But I have not had one yet."

Liza nodded from down the table. "And color us impressed."

"Liza," Kori scolded.

Ian smirked. "Yeah, Mom, I'm surprised Uncle Montay didn't tell you what Liza and I did during our years."

Kori glared at Rolin and Montay. "Neither of my darling brothers told me anything about your years."

"Yeah, Mom." Franklin smiled. "I'm pretty sure Claire is the only one to come home a virgin." George elbowed Franklin and Ratchet choked on his drink.

"Yes." Claire sharply elbowed her brother, who smiled at her. "Yes, I did."

Kori frowned at her children. "I can't believe what I'm hearing."

"She was a nice girl," Ian shrugged. "Just not bring home to meet the parents nice." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Or bring home to live on a desert planet nice."

Liza groaned. "Mine was far too clingy." She nodded to her parents. "You wouldn't have liked him."

"At least I eventually brought mine home," Franklin smirked at George. "With minor incident."

George nodded. "If you count your dad almost shooting my head off minor, okay."

"To be honest we weren't expecting you to come through." Franklin kissed George's cheek.

Rolin looked at Liza and Ian. "Not to mention the scares we had with you two."

Zeon looked at his Aunt Kori. "Yeah, we had to deal with a couple of pregnancy scares." He smiled smugly at his cousins.

Kori and Ratchet glared at their children. Liza glared at Zeon, mouthing the words "I hate you so much" to him.

Montay turned to Leigh. "You're positive you want to marry into this family?"

"I'm absolutely positive." Leigh smiled. "You had me at our first date."

Rosie looked at her parents. "Does this mean I'm not allowed to go to the Lombax Dimension for my year?"

Kori and Ratchet turned to their youngest, stern, "Yes."

Leigh was quite older than the medical personnel would have liked her so she was put on extensive bedrest and to take medication to help foster her pregnancy as long as it could go without full medical assistance. She was also closely monitored for fetal distress.

Celeste visited her as often as she could to keep Leigh company, she knew that boredom well. After a few months had gone by, the baby still thriving, Grace decided to join Celeste on one of her visits.

Celeste walked into Leigh and Montay's bedroom, pulling along Grace. "Look who I brought to see you." She smiled at Leigh.

Leigh looked up from a book she was reading to see Grace. "Hello, Grace," she smiled, sitting up in bed and revealing her grown stomach. "So good to see you."

"I know it's been a while." Grace smiled shyly. "You know life with twins."

Celeste pushed Grace to sit down next to Leigh, citing that with someone else to entertain Leigh Celeste could help Montay at least a little with housework. Leigh nodded at Grace when Celeste finally left them alone. "I know this is a bit awkward."

"Yeah," Grace smiled weakly. "Just a little bit, I didn't think I'd be getting any more siblings."

Leigh laughed. "I thought it was too late for me to have more children." She smiled down at her stomach. "I wish I was younger when your father and I got together but I wouldn't want to change our story."

"I wouldn't either." Grace rubbed the back of her neck. "But Dad said you had a son before."

Leigh nodded. "Thomas, I had him when I was about Mac's age." She smiled. "His father and I married right out of school, and then we had our baby boy."

"If you don't mind me asking," Grace rested her hand on Leigh's. "Can you tell me what happened to him? Dad said he passed away."

Leigh sighed, gently taking a turned picture off her nightstand. "Thomas was troubled." She handed it to Grace. A young male Lombax stood smiling at the camera, he looked just like Leigh. "We don't know what went wrong for Thomas, he didn't leave us anything behind. All I know is that a few weeks before his 17th birthday he decided life wasn't worth living." She took a deep breath. "They couldn't save him and shortly after that my husband decided we shouldn't be married anymore. So we got divorced." Leigh nodded solemnly. "And then I met your dad and you know the rest of the story."

"I'm sorry." Grace frowned. "I shouldn't have asked."

Leigh shook her head. "No, Grace. It's fine." She smiled sadly. "I miss my son every day but I know that I never truly lose him as long as I remember him." Leigh rested a hand on her stomach. "Like I know that most likely the baby will lose me while they are still young but I don't want to take away the time I have with them just because it won't be as long as I'd like."

Celeste popped her head in, smiling. "Leigh, the doctor is here."

"Oh," Leigh relaxed a little and looked at Grace. "You don't mind Grace? They need to come to check on the baby."

Grace gave her approval and the Doctor came in with a flurry of instruments. Grace got up to leave but Leigh asked her to stay. A fetal heartbeat monitor was wrapped around Leigh's abdomen, and an ultrasound wand placed on Leigh's stomach. "The baby looks perfect, Leigh." The Doctor remarked. "How are you and Montay doing?"

"I'm doing quite well," Leigh smiled, "no complaints. I can feel the baby moving and Montay is trying not to get too excited."

"Why?" Grace frowned.

The Doctor looked at Grace, somber. "The likelihood of Leigh carrying the baby to term is low, at this point in time the baby wouldn't be viable if it had to be delivered now." She shook her head. "And even if the baby survives to birth after birth it will have a battery of tests to check for health problems, birth defects, or anything that could be a concern."

"Grace," Leigh tried to smile. "Your dad really doesn't want to think about the possibility of me losing the baby. His heart wouldn't be able to take it."

The Doctor agreed. She turned on the sound for the fetal heart monitor and a steady sweet noise filled the room. The sound made Leigh relax and smile at the Doctor. The Doctor looked at the ultrasound. "I know Montay isn't here right now but do you both want to learn the baby's gender?"

"No thank you." Leigh smiled. "We want nothing more than that surprise."

The Doctor smiled. "Of course."

"Is there going to be genetic testing done?" Grace gently sat down next to Leigh.

The Doctor nodded, moving the wand around to search for concerns with development. "Pretty soon, once the baby is big enough so the testing doesn't put it at risk. But we promise we won't tell the baby's gender then either."

Montay rushed into the room. "So sorry I'm late." He stopped when he saw Grace. "Oh, hello, Grace."

"Hi, Dad," Grace smirked. "I thought you were the king of punctuality."

Montay smiled at his daughter and sat next to her. "Normally, but I got a little caught up with Mac. He had something he wanted to show me." He looked to the doctor and Leigh. "How is everything looking today?"

Leigh rested her hand on his. "Very well, sweetheart." She smiled. "And I know you wanted the gender to be a surprise."

"You'll have to hold me back." Montay grinned. "I may change my mind in the future."

Grace grabbed her father's arm. "I got you, Dad." She winked at Leigh.

"Thank you, Grace." Montay kissed the top of Grace's head. "I don't know what I'd do without you." Leigh smiled at them, tears gently rolling down her face. She sniffled and tried to rub her tears away before either of them could see. Montay turned to Leigh with a look of concern, his hand gently caressing her cheek.

Leigh laughed and continued to rub tears away. "Hormones, I swear."

The months continued to pass, Leigh actually carried the baby past term. And one early morning, Mac became a big brother to a little girl they named Nessa Azimuth.

Nessa grew quickly, and shortly after she turned two her father had his 70th birthday himself. Her third birthday was followed by her mother's 70th.

Grace was approached by Montay one day. Under the guise that if anything happened to Montay and Leigh that Grace would bring up little Nessa. Her 7-year-old sons playing with their 3-year-old aunt, Grace agreed.

Nessa grew into her honey coat, red stripes, and amethyst eyes when her mother received a visitor from her past.

The older male Lombax approached the group of grandfathers, grandchildren, and child. Virgil, Pax, and Nessa played together as Simon played with Dante and Duncan. Ratchet had his year old grandson Hugh on his chest (adopted into the family by Franklin and George).

Paul, the older Lombax, looked at the little ones for a moment before focusing on the older generation. "Excuse me, I was wondering if anyone has seen a Leigh Hounder?"

Rolin, Cassius, Ratchet, and Montay all exchanged glances before Montay cleared his throat and held out a hand to the stranger. "She's Leigh Azimuth, now. I'm her husband, Montay."

Nessa ran up to her father and tugged on his hand. "Daddy, I hungry."

Montay smiled at the stranger for a moment before kneeling down to little Nessa. "Go inside and ask Mama if you can have a snack." Little Nessa skipped off into the house to find her mother. Montay turned back to the stranger. "I'll take you inside, she's working in there."

Cassius spoke up. "We'll make sure Simon and the boys make it back to school on time."

Ratchet looked at the time. "Speaking of which, we need to start our walk back." Carrying little Hugh Ratchet got up and called the boys that it was time to go back to school.

Dante and Duncan went to Montay. "Can't we have a little longer, Grandpa?" They asked. Folding their hands and making their eyes as big as they could make them.

"Go on, back to school," Montay smirked. "I'm not hearing it from your mother if you two are late." The boys ran off to join Simon, Ratchet, and baby Hugh for the brisk walk back to school.

Rolin looked to Montay. "Leave now, Montay. We got these two." Little Pax jumped into her grandfather's lap, giggling when Rolin groaned in pain.

Montay couldn't help but smile. "Paxxy be nice to your Grandpa Rolin." He turned to Paul and motioned for Paul to follow him quickly before another child interrupted them.

"If you don't mind, if you could clear something up for me," Paul said once they were inside the house. "Those older boys called you Grandpa but the little girl called you Dad, am I right to assume the boys were your grandsons but the little girl is your daughter?"

Montay nodded. "You're correct. My daughter Grace's sons Dante and Duncan and my daughter Nessa."

"Is Nessa your daughter from a previous marriage or is she your's and Leigh's?" Paul asked.

Montay sighed. "She's mine and Leigh's, a surprise to all of us but we're very glad to have her." He smiled wistfully. "Our little miracle." Montay finally delivered Paul to Leigh. Montay's beloved wife working on medical equipment and watching young Nessa eat a small snack she was permitted.

Leigh smiled until she saw Paul, her smile cooled to a neutral expression. "Hello, Paul." Leigh turned to her young daughter. "Go finish your snack with Daddy. Mama has to….talk to Mister Paul." Nessa jumped from her place next to her mother to skip to be next to her father.

Paul frowned. "Is that all I get? Mister Paul?"

"In front of my daughter, yes." Leigh put on her best smile. "Montay, darling, Nessa shouldn't get any more snacks or her dinner will be spoiled. I'll explain later."

Montay looked down at Nessa and took her hand. "Alright, Nessa, let's go back outside." He told his little girl. "And we'll have to make sure you finish your snack before we get back outside or Paxxy and Virgil will beg for snacks too." Montay walked away hand in hand with his three-year-old daughter.

Paul waited a bit before speaking to Leigh. "So you got remarried?"

"Save it, Paul," Leigh held up her hands. "I don't want to hear about that especially from you."

Paul shrugged. "I'm not allowed to ask about your new husband?" He crossed his arms. "Plus I didn't know Thomas was so easy to replace."

"Don't you dare say that." Leigh stood, she frowned deeply and got in Paul's face. "No one could take my baby's place. Nothing could fill the cavity Thomas made in my heart."

Paul waved his hand in front of Leigh's face. "I'm not the one who had another kid like our son's death didn't matter."

"I miss Thomas every day." Leigh wept. "I see him in Nessa and I want nothing more than to have him back." She stood against Paul. "I recognize that I can't get him back, and I spent so much of my life beating myself up because of what he did."

Paul raised his hands. "Aren't you worried that your darling little girl will end the same way our baby boy did? Those things are genetic, that's what the doctor said."

"Nessa will have better than Thomas did, I swear." Leigh steeled herself. "Starting with a better father, someone who loves her as I love her."

Paul pushed Leigh away. "I loved my son. If you hadn't coddled him so much we'd still have a son and still be married."

"Speaking of that," Leigh huffed. "Once we lost Thomas you abandoned me, leaving me alone to grieve the loss of my only son. My only child." She sat down away from Paul. "Montay gave me a second chance. I fell in love with him, he included me with parenting his children though when I met them they were already grown." Leigh smiled. "And he gave me Nessa. A little girl of my own, and who stands right next to her brothers, sister, and father in my heart. Montay, Mac, Grace, and Thomas."

Paul scoffed. "Like you could replace me, Leigh. No one ever forgets their first love, so if I have that place what could Montay mean to you?"

"More than you'd ever know." Leigh stood again. "Montay gave me my life back. He knew I was broken but he still loved me. He held me when I needed to be held and he bent over backward for me. We are there for each other Paul, which is more than I can say for when I was with you."

Mac appeared in the doorway. "Excuse me, is everything alright in here?" He looked at Leigh. "Mom, are you alright?"

Leigh took a breath. "I will be much better once our guest has left, thank you, Mac." She gently pushed Paul toward the door. "If you could show him out that would be wonderful, dear."

Paul pushed past Mac. "I'll show myself out, Leigh." He walked down the hallway and out the front door.

Leigh deflated and sat back on her seat, her head resting in her hands. Mac rushed to her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Who was that guy?"

"Thomas' father, my first husband." Leigh breathed.

Mac scoffed. "You married him? Boy, your taste really changed."

"He wasn't always that way," Leigh rubbed her eyes. "But grief changed him. Like it changed me."

Mac sat next to Leigh. "Yeah but he doesn't compete with dad for your affections, right?"

"Heavens no," Leigh laughed weakly. "I did love him once upon a time but never again. Besides you kids, your father means more to me than anything."

Mac smiled a little. "And if Nessa turns out, you know, like Thomas?"

"Then I will be there for her, I could never lose her like I lost Thomas." Leigh frowned. "I hope she never has to feel that pain, she doesn't deserve it." She sighed, rubbing her eyes. "No one does."

"Mama." A little voice made Mac and Leigh turn to the door, to see Nessa standing in the doorway holding a small stuff lombax that looked just like her.

Leigh smiled at the little girl, she extended her arms toward the little one. "Come here, baby." The little girl smiled and ran into her mother's arms, hugging Leigh tight. "Oh, my little precious thing." She kissed Nessa's head and hugged her.

Nessa reached for Mac and pulled him into the embrace. " 'ig Mac."

"Okay, Little Nessa." Mac smiled and hugged Leigh and Nessa. He smiled at his little sister, a happy mix between Montay and Leigh. Mac remembered what he felt held her after she was born, perfectly healthy and not a thing wrong with her. How he swore up and down that she smiled at him, though they all said she was too young to smile.

Mac remembered how happy their father was when she was born, how Montay recounted how much Nessa was like Grace when she was born. Small and unassuming.

"Mac commanded attention," Montay had smiled at him. "Screaming as if the world was ending, when it was our world beginning to take shape."

Leigh cried when she held Nessa, "So much like her big brother Thomas." She whispered to the baby and Montay. Montay had smiled at Leigh as he sat next to her, just to look at little Nessa and to tell Leigh that he hoped Thomas would be proud to be a big brother. "He always wanted a brother or sister," Leigh laughed. "How I wish he could see her, I wish he was here with us now."

"Me too." Montay gently embraced Leigh.

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 **Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it. Pretty please if you could leave me a review, I would really appreciate it. Alright, see you next time!**


	11. Triple Troublemakers

**Welcome back! I hope you're enjoying the story so far, please leave me a review. I would love to know what you think. Please, enjoy the story.**

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"Heads up!" 17-year-old Simon yelled, passing a ball to Dante. Dante caught the ball and weaved around Duncan, and scored a goal for Simon and himself. The three eldest grandsons had gotten Alister's athletic build while Virgil had gotten Kaden's smaller build.

Virgil sat apart from his brother and cousins, just to watch the game and avoid injury. The 14-year-old was approached by his usual companions, his cousin Pax and technical aunt Nessa. Pax sat down next to him. "What's the score?"

"Heck if I know." Virgil groaned.

Nessa shrugged her shoulders, standing behind them. "Aren't you supposed to be keeping score for them?"

"Supposed to and actually are, are different things." Virgil smiled at Nessa. "Plus Simon probably knows."

Pax nodded. "Yeah, like older siblings are supposed to take care of everything."

"Okay, Paxxy." Nessa teased.

The dark grey lombax stuck her tongue out at Nessa. "Don't call me that." Pax frowned at Nessa and gently pushed her. "Little Nessa."

Virgil sighed and looked at them. "It is so obvious that I'm older than you two." He put his hands behind his head. "With age comes wisdom."

Pax smiled at Nessa, and the girls tackled Virgil over. Simon, Dante, and Duncan all stopped to see their scoreboard in a heap under a couple of silly girls. "Foul!" Simon called. "No tackling the scoreboard."

Dante grinned at Duncan and Simon. "Let the little ones have their fun, guys. We all know how short their attention spans are."

Duncan crossed his arms. "And how short they are." He chuckled to his twin and Simon. "You know what I would like to see? Them actually try and beat us in a game."

"That's not fair." Virgil pulled himself from under Pax and Nessa. "You three are built like Guards."

Simon lifted his hand to his ear. "Sounds like we're scared."

"As if." Pax lounged on the ground. "Like I'd be scared of cream, blank and coloring book."

Simon frowned. "Cream?"

"Blank?" Dante looked at Duncan.

Duncan charged and pulled Pax off the ground. "If I'm a coloring book, then so are you." He messed up Pax's hair, much against her protest. "Cause you got the Watt look, just like me."

"Let me go, Duncan!" Pax screamed. "You're such a pain!"

Duncan bounced Pax around, teasing her. "Why don't you call for your Mom?" He tossed Pax around to entertain himself and Dante. "I'm not scared of Aunt Celeste."

"Oh really?" Celeste walked up to the field. "You may not fear me but I'm in league with your mother." She smiled at her darling nephews.

Duncan dropped Pax behind him, and he smiled wide. "Hey, Aunt Celeste." Dante joined Duncan in trying to hide Pax. "We weren't doing anything."

Pax sat on the ground, rubbing her butt. Getting 'rescued' by her mother was the last thing she wanted. Nessa swiftly approached Celeste. "They really weren't playing fair, Celeste. Dante and Duncan double-teamed her."

"Did not!" The twins echoed, approaching their aunt. "Nessa is lying."

Pax raised a hand to her ear. "Anyone else hear an echo?"

"Pax, be nice." Celeste teasingly scolded her daughter. "You know they can't help it." She turned to Nessa. "How do you think, little miss, your Dad would feel about you skipping lessons to watch your cousins play?" Nessa shrunk away from Celeste. "And boys," she narrowed on Dante and Duncan. "Be nice to Pax, she got some of her dad's sensitivity."

Dante and Duncan smiled at Pax, who glared daggers at her own mother. Celeste made the kids break up their game as dinner was ready. Pax avoided her mother, sticking to Nessa and Virgil.

Family dinners were always interesting, especially since in the past decade their family nearly exploded in size. Pax had gained two uncles (Onix and Edmund), six cousins (Peter, Izzy, Burr, Timber, Olive, and Bella) and a brother (Alex). Virgil got an aunt (Crystal) an uncle (Daniel), an almost uncle (Issac), and six cousins (Douglas, Lucy, Ana, Ellie, Lilly, and Stanley). Nessa just got a sister-in-law named Tiffany who married Mac.

Nessa was helping her aunt Kori set the table when she heard her father and brother talking. "Hey Mac," Montay started. "Don't take this the wrong way but are you and Tiffany planning on having kids?"

Mac laughed. "Nah. Tiffany, you know, doesn't want kids. And we're pretty busy right now, addicted to work." He said to Montay. "Don't have to worry about any more grandkids, Dad."

"Having more grandkids wouldn't bother me," Montay chuckled. "I'm just curious about what you kids are planning for your future."

Mac sighed. "Yeah, no. No grandkids from me." He laughed again. "Maybe you can convince Grace to have another kid."

"Not after Dante and Duncan." Montay laughed. "No more kids for them either."

Mac forced a laugh. "Not Nessa for a while."

"No," Montay said sternly. "Not for hopefully a long while, I probably won't be around when she has kids."

Mac sighed. "You're going to be here for a long time, Dad. You and Leigh are going to be in Nessa's wedding and get to hold her first baby."

"Let's be realistic, Mac." Montay took a breath. "I'm not as young as I was when you were 13. I never want to leave you, Grace, Nessa, or Leigh. But that time will come, sooner rather than later."

A vice tightened around Nessa's chest. Tears filled her eyes as the thought of her father dying entered her heart. She quickly evaded her father and brother as they exited the kitchen, sat down the dish she was supposed to bring to the table, and exited the house herself. Nessa sat outside on the ground to think about her thoughts. How long would she have left with her parents? How old would she be when she would be orphaned? How could she go on without them?

Pax found Nessa's dish, looked around before she just brought the dish herself. Everyone began to sit down, and the adults attempted to wrangle their children into behaving. Ian told his three daughters (Ana, Ellie, and Lilly) to sit down or no dessert. Liza praised her darling son Stanley on behaving. Hugh, Douglas, and Lucy sat in between their fathers, on their best behavior (as George always gave them a small treat if they behaved at family dinner). Pax sat next to her brother Alex, who was 6 and dreaded anything her father might do to attempt to be funny. Onix and Genie pretty much wrestled with her cousins Burr, Timber, Olive, and Bella just to get them at the table. Peter and Izzy did exactly as their mother Harper said.

Leigh looked around and noticed one face was missing. "Where is Nessa?" She asked, concerned.

Mac raised his hand. "I'll go find her." He got up, told Grace to watch his food so no children stole his food, and gave the house a general search for his younger sister. When he didn't find her in the house he extended his search to outside, and it was there he found her. "Hey, kid. What are you doing out here?" When he heard her sniffling he sat down next to Nessa, serious. "Tell me who did it and I'll pound them for you."

Nessa rubbed her nose on her sleeve. "No such luck." She rubbed her eyes, frowning. "I heard you and Dad talking."

"Ah," Mac frowned. "That delightful conversation." He wrapped his arm around Nessa, trying to smile. "Sorry I can't help you get more nieces and nephews."

Nessa shook her head. "Not that, Malcolm." She took a deep breath. "I don't want Mom and Dad to die." Fresh tears ran down her face, and Mac gently rubbed them away, his smile fading away. "As stupid as it sounds I want them to live forever."

Mac tried to smile for Nessa. "That's not stupid, because I'm right there with you." He hugged her tight. "But that's just how the universe works. We are born, we live, and then we die."

"I know." Nessa frowned, leaning on Mac. "But how soon will they die? How will we survive without them?"

Mac sighed and squeezed Nessa a little bit. "I can't answer how soon, hopefully, a really really long time but Nessa we will survive." He kissed her head. "It will hurt for a long while but the world will continue, and the best part is you won't be alone."

"But…" Nessa sniffled. "I can't imagine life without them."

Mac smiled sadly. "You don't have to. They're still here and they're waiting for you at the dinner table." He touched Nessa's nose. "Speaking of which our lovely nephews probably have eaten all the food."

"Our Dante and Duncan?" Nessa smiled again. "Grace wouldn't let them."

Mac shrugged. "They're crafty." He lightly elbowed Nessa. "Feeling better?"

"Surprisingly, yeah." Nessa nodded. "Not 100% but better."

Mac let her go and slowly stood. "It's a work in progress, but we'll get there." He pulled Nessa up and together they went back to the house. Nessa took her place between her parents while Mac sat back next to Grace. Everyone had started eating and Mac's plate was empty. "Hey, who stole my food?" He looked at Grace. "What happened to not letting children get my food?"

Grace shrugged while Dante and Duncan told Mac how good the food was. Little Ana smiled at Mac. "We were hungry, Uncle Mac."

Mac frowned. "And I'm not?"

Leigh smiled. "Okay, let's give Mac his plate back."

Montay pulled the plate off his lap and handed it to Mac. Mac stuck his tongue out at his family. "You all stink." He sat at his place and ate his food.

Ana looked at Ian. "Did I do good, Daddy?"

Ian gave his eldest a thumbs up. Crystal gently hit Ian on the stomach. "Don't encourage lying." She playfully scolded her husband.

"Acting." Ian smiled. "Not lying, acting."

Edmund shrugged. "There is, apparently, a difference."

Tiffany rushed into the house and up behind her husband, several bags in hand. "I'm so late." She looked up at everyone. "Sorry, had some problems at work that needed fixing before I left." Tiffany put down her bags and smiled. "Any space for me?"

"Naturally." Mac smiled back, moving over so there was a gap between himself and Grace.

Grace pulled up a chair from behind her and Lance. "Et Tu, Malcolm?" She smiled at her brother.

"Would I rather sit next to my darling wife instead of my conspiring sister?" Mac shrugged and looked at Tiffany. "Yes, very much so."

Virgil snickered. "It was Dante and Duncan's idea."

"Was not!" The twins exclaimed.

Grace frowned at her sons. "Inside voices."

The twins rolled their eyes and went back to their food. Claire looked to her sons. "No stirring the pot." She pointed her fork at Virgil and Simon. "Just wait until your father gets home."

"In six months," Simon muttered.

The table fell silent as all eyes turned to Claire. She took a couple of deep breaths and closed her eyes, her silverware back on the table. "Please excuse me," she whispered as she exited the room.

"Good job, Simon." Virgil huffed and hit his brother's arm. Simon retaliated with a wallop to the back of Virgil's head. Ratchet open his mouth to scold the boys when Pax stood up.

"Stop fighting ladies, you're both pretty." Pax hollered over the boys. The boys stopped and turned to their cousin.

Simon glared at Pax. "What did you call me?"

"Alright, enough." Ratchet commanded. He looked to Pax. "Thank you, Pax. You may return to your seat." The girl curtsied and sat back down while Ratchet turned to Simon. "Simon, go apologize to your mother."

Simon frowned at his grandfather. "Why? It's not like it's not true." He huffed. "He spends more time away then he does here."

"Not by choice." Kori scolded. "Your father is protecting the universe, he is protecting our family. And back before it was your father, your grandpa Ratchet did the same thing." She sighed. "And maybe someday you'll take the job after your father."

Simon rolled his eyes and leaned back in his seat. "I still don't see why I have to apologize."

"Because," Rolin spoke up. "Your mother knows how you feel. Back when she was your age it was her dad going out to save the universe."

Kori nodded in agreement. "And he may be your father but he is also her husband and best friend." She frowned at her grandsons, her hand on Ratchet's. "She understands the risks your father takes, but she accepts them as I did."

"And there is no true guarantee that your father will always come back." Ratchet frowned. "Every time he goes out there, there is a possibility that he will fail."

Celeste looked at her children and husband. "And that is a terrifying reality to have to face at least once to three times a year."

"Your grandfather," Kori smiled sadly, "missed the first 7 months of your Aunt Rosie's life. He missed her being born and everything. And your father missed several months of your mother's pregnancy with Virgil."

Franklin nodded. "She even hid her pregnancy with Virgil so no one but Orion knew she was pregnant at all." He smiled. "But to suddenly get a call from your mother telling you that 'surprise! Your sister is pregnant but you only have 3 months to get the new baby a gift because that's when the baby is coming.'."

"Yeah," Zeon laughed. "One morning she comes out to breakfast heavily pregnant when the day before she looked quite normal." He shook his head. "And she acted as if nothing had happened."

Claire's voice drifted in. "Virgil moved a lot too." Everyone looked up to see Claire smiling and leaning in the door frame. "The one time his movement caught me off guard was when Mom found me out."

"I don't like to be ignored." Virgil smiled.

Claire came in and sat back down. "Even then." Simon opened his mouth to speak but his mother stopped him. "Simon, you have every right to be upset but we have to remember that your father doesn't do his job because he loves glory or fame." She shook her head. "His favorite part is always coming back to us."

"Got that right." All eyes when back to the doorway where Orion stood. Claire, Simon, and Virgil all jumped from their seats to tackle Orion. "Were you all talking about me?" He smiled to his family, his arm wrapped around Claire and held her close to him.

Claire kissed his cheek. "All good things, I promise."

Orion laughed and kissed Claire for a moment before he looked to his sons. "I hope you two were good for your Mom." Simon and Virgil looked at each other before putting on their best smiles for their father.

"A discussion for later." Kori jumped up, smiling. "Come and have something to eat, Orion." She went to the kitchen to get him a plate.

Orion nodded. "More than gladly." Another chair was added to the table next to Claire.

"Uncle Orion," 9-year-old Douglas smiled at Orion. "Are you going to tell us about your adventure?"

George smiled at his second son. "Let him get settled first, Dugger."

"Your dad is right," Orion smiled. "Besides this one was a good one, we best wait until it can be told around the fire."

Alex jumped up from his seat, a big grin on his face. "With s'mores?" The rest of the children started chattering in excitement.

"If moms and dads allow." Orion nodded to his fellow adults.

Genie smiled. "Thanks, Orion." Genie put her hands onto the heads of her bouncing 7 and 5-year-old sons. Onix snickered at his wife.

The children kept chattering, begging their parents to let them have s'mores for Orion's story after the sun had finally set. Ratchet eventually got the children to stop so their meal could be more peaceful, but the little ones still buzzed with excitement. Except for 2-year-old Lilly, and 1-year-old Bella who were both too young to understand the gravity of the situation.

Because s'mores. Come on.

When the meal finally concluded dishes were collected and taken to the kitchen. Almost everyone was helping in the kitchen when a sudden crash caused Leigh, Claire, and Kori to rush to the dining room.

Holding her head and kneeling on the floor was Tiffany. "Tiffany!" Leigh rushed to her daughter-in-law's side. "Are you alright? What happened?"

Kori and Claire quickly retreated to the kitchen to get Mac. Tiffany smiled weakly and shook her head. "I'm fine, just a little lightheaded." She took a few deep breaths. "I guess I stood up too quickly."

"Do you need to go to the hospital?" Leigh asked, gently helping Tiffany to her feet again.

Mac rushed into the room and to Tiffany. "Tiff, are you okay?" He took her hands and looked her over. "Do we need to call an ambulance?"

"I'm fine, really," Tiffany smiled at Mac and Leigh. "I was just a little lightheaded, I just need to rest for a little bit and it will be like nothing happened."

Leigh frowned. "Sweetheart, you collapsed. I believe it best we take you to the hospital." Leigh looked sternly at Mac.

"Yeah, Tiff." Mac agreed. "Leigh's right."

Tiffany smiled sadly. "Before you go dragging me off to the hospital, there is something I need to tell you." She gently led Mac to Claire and Orion's bedroom, Tiffany sat at the foot of the bed and Mac closed the door.

Mac took a deep breath and sat on the bed next to Tiffany. "Okay, what do you need to tell me?"

"I just want to preface this with I know how you feel about kids." Tiffany kept her eyes low as she took Mac's hands. "You want them but you think we should wait until later."

Mac blinked and rubbed Tiffany's hands with his thumbs. "Yeah, and I know you want them soon."

"Well…" Tiffany sniffled. "We can't wait anymore."

Mac's face fell. "Tiff….you don't mean…."

"Yep." Tiffany smiled weakly. "I'm pregnant."

Mac broke into a smile. "Really? You're not playing with me?" He took her face in his hands. "Please tell me you're not messing with me."

"I promise." Tiffany laughed. "To be honest this is not the reaction I was expecting."

Mac grinned from ear to ear. "I know but I don't care." He felt like screaming but he only allowed himself to bounce. "We're having a baby!" Mac covered Tiffany's face in kisses. "Do you know how far along you are?"

Tiffany gave her best smile. "12 weeks."

"12?" Mac blinked. "That's 3 months, how long have you known?"

Tiffany hummed. "At least a month?"

"A month?" Mac gasped. "You kept our child a secret for a month?"

Tiffany sighed and put Mac's hands on her stomach. "I didn't know how you would react, I expected you to be upset or freaking out." She smiled at Mac. "You kept telling me when I asked that you didn't want kids yet. That we just need to wait longer."

"That's not true though," Mac smiled. "I've wanted kids since before we got married."

Tiffany kissed Mac. "My secret was a month, yours was 7 years."

"Has it been that long already?" Mac laughed. "It doesn't feel that like it has been that long."

Tiffany kissed Mac again. "It has. When do you think we made our baby?"

"Oh, right." Mac smiled and wrapped his arms around Tiffany. "I remember."

Nessa and Pax, on the other side of the door, made unsettled faces at each other. The two girls tried to be extra quiet so they wouldn't get caught but Leigh came around the corner and found the two girls. She frowned at her daughter and great niece. "May I ask what you two are doing?"

"Nothing." Nessa smiled innocently at her mother. "Just… hanging around."

Pax smiled innocently too. "Yeah, Aunt Leigh. We weren't up to anything."

Leigh nodded for a moment before she knocked on the door to Claire and Orion's room. Nessa and Pax looked at each other before taking off running. When Mac opened the door Leigh smiled. "I do hope I'm not interrupting but I found a couple of ears listening on the other side of the door for you."

"Really?" Mac smirked. "Which ears do I have to hunt down?"

Leigh smiled. "Darling Nessa and Pax. They couldn't have made it too far." She looked past Mac and looked at Tiffany. "I'm sure you feel better by now but I still want to get you checked out."

"Probably a good idea." Tiffany smiled. "But we have to talk to some ears first."

Mac exited the room. "I'm on it." He moved past Leigh and called out for his prey. "Nessa Azimuth! Pax Azimuth! Come here right now!"

Zeon's head popped out of the kitchen. "What has my daughter done now?" His face a mix of annoyance and amusement.

"Hopefully nothing but I need to talk to her." Mac sighed. "She might know something she's not supposed to know."

"Well," Zeon smiled. "I heard a commotion pass by here not too long ago and I heard the back door open."

Mac nodded. "Thank you, I'm off." Mac followed the hallway to the back door and exited the building.

But as he was leaving he heard Zeon shout, "Good hunting!"

Mac kept an eye out but he realized the reason Lombaxes lived on Fastoon. Oranges and browns hid well in a desert location. It was until he remembered that, like his darling nephew Duncan, Pax had dark grey fur. Unlike Nessa's honey-colored fur, Pax stuck out like a sore thumb. So if the girls were going to hide, they had to find a hiding place big enough to hide both of them, dark enough to hide Pax but light enough that Nessa wouldn't stick out. And out of the sun so they could hide there for an extended time without getting heat stroke.

Mac stood quietly and he heard deep breathing. He listened and followed the breathing, using his big ears, to a medium-sized structure that should not have been capable of breathing. Mac knocked on the structure and the breathing fell instantly silent. "If it's Nessa and Pax in there, it's Mac. And I need to talk to you two."

"We didn't hear nothing!" Nessa's voice came from the structure.

Pax's voice came next. "You're the worst at hiding ever."

"Come out, girls." Mac stepped back. "Tiffany and I need to have a nice talk with you two."

Pax came out first, followed closely by Nessa. Nessa smiled widely at her brother. "I promise, Mac and Cheese. We didn't hear anything."

"Right," Mac said, unconvinced. "Come on, darling girls." He wrapped an arm around each girl and led them back to the room where Tiffany was waiting, past Leigh. "Give us a minute, Mom," Mac told Leigh as he closed the door.

Tiffany smiled. "Alright, kitties, spill." She stood next to Mac and they both crossed their arms.

"Well." Pax sat on the bed, giving a smart ass smirk. "You guys celebrated your wedding anniversary by having-"

"Okay, forget that." Mac stopped her. "I don't need to know I accidentally scarred my kid sister and niece." He sighed and looked at the two girls. "Anything else?"

Nessa smiled and clapped her hands. "I'm going to be an aunt again."

"That's what we're looking for." Mac took a deep breath. "Luckily you both know how to keep a secret, so we need you both to be under a vow of absolute silence."

Nessa slumped, a pout pointed at Mac. "Absolute silence?" She crossed her arms, frowning deeply. "It's not fair."

"Neither is listening outside the door of a private conversation." Mac frowned. "I need you to not tell a soul." He ran a finger along his mouth. "Not a soul."

Nessa heaved a sigh. "Fine."

Pax shrugged. "Fine."

"Good girls." Tiffany smiled.

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 **Thanks so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed it! Remember, reviews save lives lol. See you next time! Bye!**


	12. Return of the Doctor

**Welcome back to this week's episode of Our New(Old) World, this week we'll see an old face from Ratchet's past. Okay, so remember to leave me a review. I'd appreciate it. Thank you so much. Please, enjoy.**

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The family gathered around the fire, s'mores in hand to listen to Orion's story. All the older kids felt too old for stories and s'mores so they hung out on the roof of the house. Where their parents allowed them to be so they weren't too far away.

Simon, Dante, and Duncan were kicking a ball around to occupy themselves while Nessa, Virgil, and Pax sat in a row watching the story play out from afar. The younger three wanted to hear the story and have s'mores but they all wanted to make a good impression on the older teens. Not that they could actually hear Orion but whatever.

Dante kicked the ball to Duncan but the pass failed and the ball flew off the roof to a place unknown. "What happened to twin telepathy?" Simon laughed at the twins, climbing down the roof to find the ball.

"That's not actually a thing," Duncan claimed but still followed Simon.

Dante rolled his eyes. "What am I thinking about right now?" Leaving the three younger teens on the roof, he climbed down too.

"Great-Grandma Becca's dinner rolls?" Duncan questioned, poking around to look for the ball.

Dante shrugged. "Not far off."

"Focus," Simon called, further away from the twins. "You are two halves of a whole idiot."

Dante and Duncan shrugged, the three teenage boys all apparently needed to look for the one ball they all shared between them.

Nessa noticed her nephews disappeared, she rolled her eyes and went looking for them. Seeing them off the roof and wandering away from the house, the young teen did what she thought was best. "What are you guys doing?" She yelled at them.

"Relax, Aunt Nessa." Dante and Duncan shouted back. "We're looking for our ball."

Pax waved her hand above her head. "Echo, echo." Virgil and Nessa snickering next to her.

"Shut up, Paxxy." Dante and Duncan called. The twins getting themselves into a shouting match about who was copying who. Simon eventually threw a small rock at each twin to get them to knock it off.

Simon shrugged. "Seriously, two halves of a whole idiot." The twins just rolled their eyes and continued the search with Simon.

Pax got up and stretched. "Alright." She sighed. "I'mma steal some marshmallows. How many do I need to get?" Pax looked to her companions. Virgil and Nessa smiled, each requesting at least three for themselves. Now knowing her mission, Pax snuck down off the roof to acquire her target amount of at least nine marshmallows.

Somewhere off in the distance the twins, reunited, starting yelling and making a bunch of noise. Nessa climbed down from the roof with Virgil. They followed the noise to find the twins at the top of a small ravine and Simon down at the bottom of the ravine.

"I'm okay!" Simon called up from the bottom. He tried to get up but a sharp pain in his leg kept his butt on the ground. "Never mind, less than okay."

Nessa frowned and looked at the twins. "We need my mom." She grabbed the twins and they ran off to get help while Virgil stayed with Simon.

"Simon?" Virgil asked into the ravine that held his brother. "How mad do you think Mom and Dad are going to be that you fell down a crack in the ground?"

Simon laughed weakly. "Pretty mad." He smiled a little bit. "It's just my leg that hurts so maybe only a little mad." Simon tried to keep his leg still so it would hopefully stop hurting.

The brothers were quiet for a little bit before they heard someone approaching. Virgil stood and looked around. "Nessa? Dante? Duncan?" He asked the empty darkness. "If that's you, Pax, you are the worst."

The darkness didn't reply, the only noise being Simon and Virgil breathing. The silence almost deafening as the stillness permeated into Virgil's mind.

"Hey."

Virgil jumped about a foot in the air, turning around to see darling Pax standing behind him with a bag of marshmallows. "Not funny." Virgil scolded Pax. "Seriously."

"Let me have some fun, Virgil." Pax shrugged. "Plus I go back to the roof and no one is there, you all plan to ditch me?"

Virgil pointed down at Simon. "Something came up." He gasped at the bag in Pax's hand. "You weren't supposed to grab the whole thing!"

"My dad caught me." Pax laughed, rubbing the back of her neck. "So he gave me a whole bag so I wouldn't steal any." She leaned over the side of the ravine, holding out the bag. "Hey, Simon, do you want a marshmallow?"

Simon shook his head as he called up to her. "I'm good, thanks." He groaned and rested his head against the wall behind him.

"More for me." Pax shrugged and popped a marshmallow into her mouth.

Virgil sighed and told Pax to stay with Simon, he was going to check what was taking Nessa and the twins so long. He got halfway to the house when he heard footsteps behind him. Though they didn't sound….normal. More mechanical. "Pax?" He asked the darkness again. "I told you to stay with Simon."

A pair of red lights looked back at Virgil. Then a bright light flashed right in his face, stunning him. Virgil covered his eyes, tripping over a stone and hitting his head on another one. Everything went black.

Nessa and the twins got more than just Leigh. The entire family but Onix, Genie, and the younger kids came to get Simon out of the ravine. Ratchet and Orion used their slingshots to lower themselves down, securing Simon to Orion to get him back out.

Claire frowned and helped Simon sit down next to the ravine. "Oh, honey are you okay?" Leigh immediately started to check Simon's favored leg.

"I'm fine, Mom," Simon complained, lightly pushing his mother away. Claire raised an eyebrow and looked to Orion.

Orion sighed and put away his slingshot. "How did you end up down there?"

"I jumped." Simon scoffed. "I didn't mean to fall down there." Simon let out a scream of pain as Leigh touched a sore spot on his leg.

Ratchet smiled and rolled his eyes. "Definitely your son." He elbowed Orion. Orion returned with a shrug of his own.

Grace turned to her sons, Lance beside her. "What were you doing out here?" She scolded. "You were supposed to stay near Uncle Ratchet and Aunt Kori's house."

"Our ball went rogue." Dante and Duncan spoke. "We were looking for it."

Zeon turned to Pax, serious. "Right, marshmallow thief?"

"Right." Pax nodded. "But when I came back to the roof they all were already gone. Virgil was out here with Simon and they were already getting you guys."

Claire gasped, looking around for her son. "Where is Virgil?"

"He went to go see what was taking Nessa, Dante, and Duncan," Pax answered. "You didn't see him when you were all coming over here?"

The adults clambered until Ratchet held up his hand. "Wait, no one saw Virgil?" He steeled himself and looked to Edmund, Leigh, and Zeon. "Get Simon and the kids back to the house," Ratchet gave the order. "Everyone else we're going to looked for Virgil. Travel in pairs, travel with light, and we'll find him. He couldn't of gone far."

Orion nodded and put his hand on Claire's shoulder. "We'll find him." He reassured her. "You should go with Simon."

Claire sighed, sending a scolding look to her eldest son. "Someone has to make sure one of us doesn't end up down the ravine again."

"I didn't mean to," Simon complained as Edmund and Zeon lifted him, carefully instructed by Leigh.

Claire smiled weakly at Orion, kissed him on the cheek and followed after Edmund and Zeon. Grace grabbed both her sons by their ears and pulled them away, the twins calling out in pain the whole way. Pax frowned and looked at Ratchet and Orion. "I want to help."

"Pax." Orion raised an eyebrow. "I think it would be better if you went back to the house, we don't need any more kids disappearing."

Pax crossed her arms and huffed. "He's my friend and cousin. I want to look for him."

"I don't think so, little miss," Orion told her, firm. "Your mother would skin me alive if I let you help search." He pointed toward the house. "Go on now before I have to make you." Pax's cheeks puffed up and her eyes narrowed before she turned and stomped away back to the house.

Ratchet sighed and pulled out a flashlight. "Come on," he looked to Orion. "Before his tracks have a chance to disappear." The search party expanded from that point, looking for any trace of the mini Ratchet.

Orion and Ratchet were walking toward the house when something caught Orion's eye. A footprint, but something about it was odd. It did have a faint tread, like their shoes, but some of the treads were worn away like someone with a big flat foot had stepped into the footprint. A little further away from the footprint Ratchet picked up a small device that was accidentally or purposefully left there.

"The Orb of Gratuitous Immobilization." Ratchet sighed. He picked up the small device and pocketed it. "Come on, Orion." Ratchet got up and started to walk to the garage. "I know where we need to go."

Orion followed, the name of the device sounding familiar. "Don't tell me."

In an undisclosed location….

"How many times do I have to tell you," Virgil, hung upside down, scolded his captor. "My name isn't Ratchet." He sighed and wrangled around to try to escape.

His captor was a tall lanky robot with a shorter wider robot in a suit. "Very funny," Nefarious clapped his hands together. "Since that Orion took over for you, it just hasn't been any fun trying to take over the universe."

"Orion?" Virgil questioned, laughing a little. "You mean my Dad."

Nefarious blinked and looked at Virgil closely. "Your Dad?"

"Yeah." Virgil smiled. "Orion is my Dad, I think you have me mistaken for my Grandpa Ratchet." Virgil, unfortunately, started to spin slowly around in his restraints.

Nefarious stepped back, surprised. "Grandpa?" He yelled for Lawrence, who was right behind him and demanded to know the meaning of this. Capturing his enemy's grandson.

"Oh, yes, sir." Lawrence produced several items from his lapel. "I may have forgotten to give you these." A wedding invitation to Kori and Ratchet's wedding, birth announcements for Claire, Franklin, Ian, Liza, and Rosie, a wedding invitation to Claire and Orion's wedding, and birth announcements for Simon and Virgil.

Nefarious scowled at Lawrence. Virgil looked around Nefarious to laugh. "You don't check your mail very often do you?" The young lombax turned toward the wall, still laughing. "And you're my grandpa's enemy but he invited you to his wedding."

Orion was driving the ship. "Why would Dr. Nefarious and Lawrence take Virgil?"

"He's kind of nuts." Ratchet shrugged. "If you hadn't noticed already."

Orion shrugged but turned the ship slightly to go to Nefarious' "secret" base. "He's just a kid, he hasn't done anything to deserve to be kidnapped by a mad scientist." Orion sighed and shook his head. "Virgil's the least of the troublemakers out of the two."

"That you know of." Ratchet smirked. "He's your kid so he probably did something."

"He better not of." Claire's voice came from behind them, startling both Orion and Ratchet.

The two turned around to see Claire behind them in the back seat. "Claire!" Ratchet scolded, "What are you doing here?"

"Getting my son back." Claire simply said.

Orion looked forward to not run into anything. "Claire, I can handle getting Virgil back." He frowned. "You don't have nanotech, and you've never faced Dr. Nefarious."

"I don't care." Claire frowned.

Ratchet scolded his daughter, frowning deeply. "What about Simon? Your other son?"

Orion nodded. "Yeah, he could have broken his leg from that fall."

"He did," Claire raised an eyebrow. "He broke his tibia, he's mostly heartbroken he won't be allowed to play any contact sports until it's healed." She crossed her arms and turned away. "Leigh gave him painkillers and he went to bed, Mom said I had to check on you two boneheads to make sure you weren't getting into trouble."

Ratchet and Orion sighed. Orion glanced at Ratchet. "We don't have time to take her back home."

"But we can't just bring her along." Ratchet frowned. "Claire hasn't been off planet since she was a teenager."

Claire scoffed and kicked her father's seat. "I can hear you."

Orion raised an eyebrow at his wife. "And we're just trying to look out for you. I've been properly trained to handle this, Claire. I can get Virgil."

"I guess we all will." Ratchet facepalmed. "Because we're here."

The small group entered in through the front entrance because all three of them agreed the trash entrance was too small. They traveled through the complex, Claire forbidden from doing any fighting, and found a big room with Virgil hanging from the ceiling with Nefarious and Lawrence standing not too far away.

"Hi, Mom! Hi, Dad!" Virgil squirmed a little. "Hi, Grandpa!"

Nefarious looked between Virgil and Ratchet. "You got old." He commented to Ratchet.

"Haven't heard that before." Ratchet rolled his eyes and put his hands on his hips. "Can I have my grandson back?"

Virgil smiled, "Please, the blood is rushing to my head." Unfortunately, Virgil was still upside down and spinning.

"Are you okay, Virgil?" Claire walked past Dr. Nefarious and Lawrence to check on Virgil. She petted his head and looked at the ropes that were holding him.

Nefarious looked between Claire and Ratchet, pointing at Claire and Virgil. Ratchet shrugged. "Nefarious, this is my daughter Claire." He smiled a little bit. "She's Orion's wife as well."

"Yeah," Orion smirked. "My darling wife." He turned to Nefarious. "Any reason you kidnapped my son?"

Nefarious scratched his head. "How does he look so much like you?"

Orion smiled. "I have another son that almost looks like Alister." He smiled sadly, "Unfortunately Simon doesn't really remember Alister."

"Can we get Virgil down?" Claire frowned.

Orion brought out his crossbow and shot the rope that held Virgil up. Claire caught Virgil's shoulders to keep him from falling onto his head. Claire smiled and untied Virgil. "There you go, sweetheart." Then she turned to Nefarious and Lawrence, her happiness dissolving into anger. Virgil ran to hide behind his father.

"Now, Claire." Ratchet held up his hands, laughing nervously. "Let's not act without thinking."

Claire cocked back her fist and punched Nefarious square in the nose. "Don't touch my son again." She growled. Nefarious bounced back, clanking and sputtering.

Ratchet, Orion, and Virgil all exchanged glances before they watched Claire walk past them to get back to the ship.

"Take Virgil to the ship Orion," Ratchet smirked. "I'll be right there."

Virgil smiled and followed his father back to the ship. "Can you show me how to use your crossbow, Dad?"

"I don't think your Mom would like that, Bud." Orion messed up Virgil's hair, smiling.

Ratchet smirked a little but circled back with Lawrence. He made sure Nefarious was still okay and apologized for Claire, especially on the fact she may have knocked Nefarious' circuits out of place. Ratchet said goodbye and went out to the ship to find Virgil telling his parents all about how he was captured.

Ratchet smiled to himself, Virgil did look just like him and as the 14-year-old told his parents the story with such energy it was easy to imagine Virgil taking over for his father.

"Grandpa," Virgil smiled. "Did you do this sort of stuff all the time when you were my age?"

Ratchet laughed. "Not quite your age." He shook his head and climbed into the driver seat of the ship. "I was a little older than your brother."

"Really?" Virgil climbed up into the ship, sitting shotgun. "I can't wait to tell Nessa and Pax about this."

Orion laughed and helped Claire into the ship, sitting behind their son. They watched as their son asked Ratchet to recount the story of how he saved the Solana galaxy, even though the kid had probably heard it at least a hundred times by the time he was 8 months old.

Ratchet drove the family home, Kori was very happy to have darling Virgil back. Claire and Kori escorted Virgil back into the house, keeping the bouncing kid in check. "Pax and Nessa are gonna die when they hear I got kidnapped by a bad guy!"

"No, bedtime." Claire smiled.

Virgil stopped and slumped his shoulders. "Aw, Mom." He huffed a little bit. "It's not even that late."

"Bedtime." Claire shook her head and put her hands on her hips, her smile mischievous but stern. "No discussion."

Virgil pouted. "Aw…" Virgil turned to his dad and grandfather, who still stood by the ship. "Can I stay up, Dad?"

Orion held up his hands, smiling as he stepped back. "I'd listen to your Mom."

Virgil sighed and crossed his arms across his chest. "It's not fair."

"One of us has school in the morning." Claire gently took her son's shoulders and pointed him to the house. "And I want you bright eyed and bushy tailed when morning comes around."

Virgil complied with his mother and grandmother, pointing out how he couldn't be bushy tailed. Their tails couldn't possibly be bushy. Orion was about to follow them into the house when Ratchet held him back.

"We need to talk," Ratchet told Orion. "I think Virgil should take over after you."

Orion frowned at Ratchet, both of them moving closer to the ship. "What are you talking about?"

"Listen," Ratchet grabbed Orion's ear, "with your big ears." Ratchet sighed and shook his head, letting go of Orion's ear. "You won't be young forever, and heck you're not young anymore now. I think we should start training Virgil to take over for you."

Orion raised an eyebrow at his father-in-law, rubbing his ear. "Virgil's still a kid." He crossed his arms and leaned on the ship. "Plus Simon is the eldest, don't you think he should do it? And I mean he has the build for it."

"Neither of us have 'the build for it'." Ratchet pointed out how both of them were on the skinny side. "I think Virgil has the bite for it. He was just captured but he acts like it was nothing."

Orion looked off toward the house. "I chose this life and you were forced into it," he rubbed his brow and sighed. "If Virgil wants to do it then sure, but if he doesn't then we need to respect that decision."

Kori appeared at the door. "Boys, come on inside." She called for them.

"We'll be right there," Ratchet called back before turning back to Orion. "We probably shouldn't tell our wives we had this discussion."

Orion shook his head. "Claire will do much worse to me than Kori will do to you." He smiled a little. "You see that hit she got in on Nefarious? I don't want that."

"She always was tough." Ratchet started back to the house, Orion following him. "But hey, you married her."

Orion laughed a little. "Best decision I ever made. I never did thank you for letting her go to the Lombax Dimension."

"Like my father said." Ratchet smiled, lightly punching Orion's arm. "Polaris was never big enough for us, she would have found her way to you one way or another. Like Kori did for me."

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 **Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed it. Please leave me a review and again, thanks so much. See you next time! Bye!**


	13. The End is Just

**Hello and welcome to the last chapter of Our New(Old) World. I probably should have given more warning but I was getting this ready to publish when I realized it was the last one. So I do hope you enjoy this chapter. Please leave me a review, I'd appreciate it. Thank you so much for reading!**

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"Get it done, Virgil!" Ratchet ordered. "You're running out of time." A streak passed Ratchet and Orion as Virgil was going as fast as he could get his hoverboots to go.

Orion smiled and leaned on his wrench, watching his son run the track again. "No pressure."

The timer went off and Ratchet called time. "Looks like you're doing the track again." He watched as his grandson slowed down too fast and crashed into the wall.

"Come on, "18-year-old Virgil huffed and dusted himself off, more annoyed than physically hurt. "Can't we just add more time onto the timer? I've run this course how many times." He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at his mentors.

Orion laughed weakly. "About 28 times, but who's counting?"

Virgil frowned and glared up at his dad. "I can't be late to meet up with Pax and Nessa or they'll kill me."

Orion shrugged. "You might be killed one day if you can't run this track perfectly before the time runs out."

"Drama king." Virgil sighed and rolled his eyes. "If I run the track one more time will you both let me go?" He looked at Ratchet and Orion.

Orion smiled. "If you remember we have to visit your brother at the Base for Visitor's Day." Virgil groaned and rolled his eyes even harder at this.

Ratchet laughed. "What's wrong with visiting Simon?"

"Really?" Virgil raised an eyebrow. "Simon has this thing he does when we visit him." He frowned and held up his hands like he was choking someone. "He grabs me and chokes me while messing up my hair." Orion and Ratchet laughed but Virgil insisted.

Ratchet shook his head, still laughing. "Just run the track again." He settled and got out the timer. "Get ready, Set…." Pause for dramatic effect. "GO!" And off the kid went, streaking around the track as fast as he could.

Nessa sat staring out the window, she was supposed to be drawing blueprints for a new invention as a class assignment, but nothing came to mind.

"Nessa." Grace's voice called, or Mrs. Watt during school hours. "Nessa." Nessa finally came to attention to have her classmates start laughing at her. Grace smiled, "Daydreaming is tempting but please use this class time to work on your homework."

Nessa tried to smile, her cheeks feeling a little warm. "Yes, sorry, G-Mrs. Watt." She ducked down her head and quickly scratched some lines on her paper.

"It's not fair." Nessa heard a girl's voice whisper behind her. "Mrs. Watt is her sister if anyone else was caught daydreaming they would've been sent to the hallway."

Nessa frowned into her paper, squeezing her pencil so hard it snapped in her hand. She internally groaned and grimaced as she raised her hand. "Mrs. Watt," Nessa sighed, defeated. "I need a new pencil."

Pax sat on a piano bench playing a few riffs on the bass she had found. She was supposed to be learning about basic engine care but she didn't care so she skipped. Pax didn't know how to really play the bass but it was easier than she thought it was, so she strayed away from the riffs in her bass book.

"Excuse me, Young Lady." A voice scolded her but Pax ignored it. "I know you're not here for a lesson because this room is supposed to be open this period."

Pax rolled her eyes and looked up at the older male who gave her a scolding look from the doorway. "You gonna tell on me?" She sighed and just went back to messing around with the bass.

"Nope." The older male pulled up a chair from across the room, sitting in it backward. "Not if you tell me where you learned to play that old thing." He extended his hand to her. "Name's Rutter."

Pax snickered, shaking his hand a little bit. "Rutter?" She looked at the bass in her hands. "I dunno, I just picked it up."

"Yeah, my parents were weird ones." Rutter laughed. "What did you get settled with, squirt?"

Pax rolled her chin a couple of times before she laughed. "Pax." She lowered her face and went back to the bass.

"Pax, huh?" Rutter smiled, he looked around for a second. "You don't happen to be Pax Azimuth, would you?" Pax sighed and nodded in reply, Rutter laughing out loud. "I thought so, you look like your mom. Your mom and I were bandmates in school."

Pax blinked a couple of times before she looked at this weirdo who knew her mother. "Bandmates?"

"Yeah." Rutter smiled. "Your mom wrote, sung, and played guitar for all our songs." He patted down his person for something. "I played keys, another friend of ours played bass, and another played drums." Rutter found a folded piece of paper and gave it to Pax, gently taking the bass from her so she could look at it. "But she became really busy when your cousins were born and she left the band to live here with your aunt and uncle."

Pax opened the paper to see it was an old band flyer, at some restaurant she didn't know. 'The Celestial Powers', the band name said. "You're not mad my mom ditched all of you?"

"Nope," Rutter shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck. "I wasn't anyway. But then we found out your mom landed her high school crush and had you."

Pax tilted her head a little bit and glanced up at Rutter. "My mom had a crush on my dad?"

"Zeon, right?" Rutter snickered. "Your mom got so mad whenever we teased her about that, his DJ work inspired a few of her songs. Even if it kept him in his own little world."

Pax nodded. "That I'll believe." She gave the poster back and she received the bass back. "You're not going to tell my mom about this are you?"

"Nah." Rutter smiled and waved his hand. "I can, however, get you out of trouble for skipping class. You simply wanted to learn how to play a musical instrument, but we got lost in the music and you accidentally missed your next class."

Pax raised an eyebrow and put the bass down. "You'd bail me out? Why?"

"Payback for all your mom did for me." Rutter lightly punched Pax's shoulder. "But to make it sound believable I need to teach you keyboard and sheet music." He got up and looked around for a keyboard. "I know there is one around here somewhere….Ah!" Rutter pulled one off the wall and put it on a stand. "Come here, runt."

Pax got up and stood next to Rutter. "Why sheet music?"

"Cause otherwise I'd catch hell from your mom." Rutter finished setting up a keyboard for Pax and went about finding one for himself. "Sheet music is like another language, it takes some time to learn but once you learn it your mind will be opened." He got himself set up and started to play some quick scales. "But we start with the basics, you may be a natural on bass but let's see how well keyboard goes."

Virgil finally escaped his training to make it to the school, where Nessa stood outside waiting for him and Pax. "Hey, Nessa." He panted, hands on his knees.

"Hey, Virgil." Nessa snickered. "They really took it out on you today."

Virgil laughed a little. "Said it was for my own good." He looked around and tilted his head. "Where is Pax?"

"No clue," Nessa shrugged. "She wasn't in Trig either today."

Somewhere from inside the school came a song, Nessa and Virgil looked at each other before their curiosities made them go in to find the source. They followed the melody. It was a song about responsibility, how oppressive it could be and how regretful. Expectations and their power, a parent's expectation for their children or one's expectations for themselves.

Apparently, Virgil and Nessa weren't the only ones to hear the music because they found the source, outside the door was Grace. She held her finger to her lips and pointed into the room, where they looked around the door frame to see Rutter and Pax playing. Rutter on the keyboard, Pax singing and playing guitar. The three spies stood outside and waited for them to finish the song.

After the final note, Rutter cheered and gave Pax a high five. "That was amazing, kid!" He jumped up and down with excitement. "You got some chops from your folks alright!"

"Really?" Pax smiled wide and bounced a little.

Rutter came from behind the keyboard to give her another high five. "Not many can pick up bass, keyboard, guitar, drum kit, and synthesizer that quick, kiddo."

Pax did a little happy dance until Grace started to clap as she entered the room, both Pax and Rutter looked at each other before smiling at Grace.

"Hi, Aunt Grace," Pax smiled weakly, trying her best to sound innocent.

Grace raised an eyebrow at Rutter, smiling. "Lose track of time?"

Rutter rubbed the back of his neck. "A bit." He laughed nervously.

"A bit?" Grace scoffed. "It's the end of the day, Rutter."

Rutter looked at his watch and laughed nervously again. He turned to Pax and smiled. "I'll take the fall for this, kid. It was my fault after all."

"No way." Pax frowned and crossed her arms. "I need a teacher, you can't get in trouble."

Rutter shook his head. "Your aunt wouldn't possibly tattle on me, how many favors her husband owes me." He smirked and raised an eyebrow to Grace. "What do you say, Grace?"

Grace scolded Rutter with her eyes. "You set us up on one date," She pointed at him before poking his chest. "Just don't let this happen again and we'll be even."

"Yeah, but." Rutter smiled, pushing Grace out the door. "That one little date led to you to having your sons, getting married, and having a happy life together. One each for Dante and Duncan, one for you getting married and another for your happy marriage." He nodded. "Now let's go work our teacher magic to get Pax out of trouble for missing the majority of the school day."

The three waited until they could no longer hear Grace and Rutter talking before they smiled at each other. "Wow, Pax," Virgil laughed. "I think you broke your record for skipped classes."

"Welp," Pax shrugged. "It wasn't exactly on purpose, maybe the first one but not the other six today."

Nessa's jaw dropped. "Six? You skipped almost all your classes?" She scoffed. "My parents would kill me nine times over."

Virgil smiled. "You pretty much have six parents," He shrugged. "Your actual parents, Aunt Grace, Uncle Lance, Uncle Mac and Aunt Tiffany."

"Don't remind me." Nessa sighed. She returned to Pax. "Do you think your parents know already?"

Pax's communicator went off, 'DAD' on the screen display. Pax winced and looked to her cousins. "Aunt Grace probably tattled on me." She took off her communicator and stashed it in her back pocket. "So, what are we doing today?"

"Can't stay." Virgil shrugged. "It's Visitor's Day."

Nessa and Pax snickered. Nessa smiled. "Getting in your monthly choking in?" Then she turned to Pax. "We're going to hide out at my house so your parents can't kill you."

"They wouldn't kill Pax." Virgil shrugged. "At least I don't think so."

Pax sighed. "They haven't killed me yet."

"Speaking of time management." Nessa looked at her cousins. "We need to get out of here and one of us needs to go get choked by his big brother."

Virgil groaned, Nessa and Pax giggling. "Yeah, I'll see you guys later."

The three split, Virgil catching up with his parents and grandparents before the portal opened. Other Lombaxes going to the Lombax Dimension surrounded them, IDs already pulled so they could pass through easily. And Virgil got his usual officer.

"Virgil Vital?" The officer asked his usual question. "Did your parents lose a bet?"

Virgil sighed. "Like I told you before, they liked that name."

"Right." The officer mused, unconvinced. "Your folks here?"

Virgil nodded. "Never travel without them." He pointed out his parents, who already got through and were waiting on him. "Same couple as they were before."

"So you tell me," The officer recognized Orion and Claire but shrugged. "How much you pay them to act like your parents?"

Virgil groaned and roughly rubbed his face. "Not enough apparently," He crossed his arms. "Considering we have to do this every month."

"Alright." The officer smiled and gave back Virgil's ID. "Go ahead."

Virgil grabbed his ID and ran to meet his parents. "Thanks, Dave!"

Claire and Orion waved at Dave before leaving, meeting up with Kori and Ratchet. The portal opened and the family passed through together. Virgil went through the same ordeal again with another officer on the other side and they finally made it the Base.

Ratchet smiled, he never tired of seeing where Kori grew up. Possibly he would have grown up there too, another time and place. To grow up knowing his parents and the Azimuth family, grow up with others of his kind.

The Guard was running drills when the visitors arrived, many of the squadrons breaking to greet their visitors. Virgil immediately saw his brother and braced himself.

"Mom," Simon greeted Claire as he approached. He lightly hugged their mother before he saluted to their father.

Kori held out her arms and Simon hugged her as well before he saluted his grandfather. Kori pinched his cheek. "It's good to see you're doing well, Simon."

"Thanks to your care packages," Simon smiled at Kori. "Sometimes it makes me miss Home more." He spotted Virgil trying to escape but quickly wrapped his arm around Virgil's neck and pulled his little brother close to him. "Little Virgil," Simon laughed, roughly messing up Virgil's hair, "my dear baby brother."

Virgil gasped and tried to pull his brother's arm off his throat. "Can't breathe!" Virgil tried to kick his brother but Simon squeezed his neck. "Let! Go!"

Simon laughed and released Virgil. "You're cute." Simon smiled as Virgil gasped for air and almost hacked out a lung.

Claire smiled and sweetly touched Simon's arm. "So much like your Grandpa Alister." She sighed a little bit. "I wish visitor's day came more than once a month."

Simon smiled back at his mother. "As much as I enjoy having you all around I need to focus on my training." He looked to Kori, a sly grin on his face. "Plus Grandma would feed me until I was a round balloon."

Ratchet patted his stomach. "I'm still slim and I've been eating your Grandmother's cooking for years."

Orion smiled. "And running around from bad guys to burn it off."

Visitor's Day was coming to an end and Kori gave Simon a gift. A watch with a picture of Alister holding 2-year-old Simon. "We were going through some old things." Ratchet smiled sadly. "Found that and thought you should have it, you are in the Guard just like he was."

Simon grinned and felt the picture, thanking his grandparents. Behind his back Virgil frowned, he would never have something like that. He never knew his great grandparents like Simon did. The only one who knew him was Kaden, someone Virgil didn't even remember.

"Oh and this is for Virgil," Kori jumped to attention. "I had nearly forgotten." Virgil was handed a watch too, this one with a 4-month-old Virgil with Kaden inside. The little baby was pulling on Kaden's ear, Kaden smiled through the pain caught in reaching up to remove his ear from the baby's grasp.

Virgil stared at the little trinket, almost completely lost. He had known he looked like his grandfather but no one said he looked like his great grandfather too.

"Little brother." Simon's voice interjected.

Virgil almost dropped the watch in shock. "Huh?" He looked at his family, surprised. His family in return laughing at him.

"Just like his mother." Ratchet nodded, smiling. Claire laughed and elbowed her father.

Simon messes up Virgil's hair again. "What do you say, squirt?"

"Oh," Virgil laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Thank you."

Montay came home from work to find Nessa and Pax working on homework at the dining room table. "Hi, Girls." He smiled at them. "What is for homework today?"

"Hey, Dad," Nessa smiled. "Just have to come up with a new invention by tomorrow and solve about 50 problems for Trig." She shrugged. "No big deal."

Just then the home communicator started to ring. For some reason, the two girls made their excuses and ran up to Nessa's room to finish homework. Montay hummed for a moment before picking up the communicator. A very unhappy Zeon on the other end.

"I'm guessing you're looking for your daughter." Montay smiled, "because naturally, she's with mine."

Zeon smiled a little bit. "If you could send her my way Celeste and I would greatly appreciate it." He cleared his throat. "We have something to discuss with her."

"Can do." Montay nodded. He turned away from the communicator to yell up to Nessa's room. "Girls finish up what you can, Pax has to go home!"

Pax's voice came down. "Nope! I live here now!"

"No can do, kid," Montay called back. "Under the request of your father, you must return to your place of legal residence."

"This is my legal residence." Pax countered. "I'm a refugee."

Zeon spoke up from the communicator. "I'm coming to get her." And he hung up, not even letting Montay say goodbye.

Outside the house, Montay heard Zeon yell. "Pax Becca Azimuth! Get down from there!" Montay sighed and went outside to find Pax on the roof of his house, simply staying up there to avoid her father.

Montay tried not to smile. "Don't walk on my roof." He told the teenager.

"Fine." Pax sat cross-legged on the roof, looking down on her father. "But I'm not coming down."

Montay looked at Zeon with a smile. "Just like her father."

"Very funny." Zeon shook his head, smiling a little bit. "More like her mother, really." He turned back to his daughter. "Come quietly and I'll see what I can do about your sentence."

Pax raised her arms and yelled. "Never! Viva la revolution!"

Zeon sighed and rubbed his eyes. "I hear you're in the market for a teenage daughter, Uncle Montay." He tried not to smile. "Can I offer one Pax Azimuth, only minimal trouble."

"I already have a teenager." Montay laughed and left to go back into the house. "I'm sure you'll get her down eventually."

Virgil felt better running the track again without the timer, without his father and grandfather breathing down his neck. The wind blowing against his face was refreshing, no one yelling about how he had to hurry up. He ran the track over and over again until it was past dark and he couldn't see far in front of his nose, and he headed home.

Though when he returned to the house something was….off. The front door was open.

Virgil took off and ran inside the house, calling for his mother, father, anyone. The inside was ransacked, and his chest started to tighten up.

"This isn't funny, Grandpa," Virgil called. "I don't like this training method, Dad." He exhausted himself looking, desperate to find anyone in the house at all. "Come on." Tears formed in his eyes, making searching harder, and Virgil felt like he couldn't breathe.

Ratchet woke up in a tiny metal cage, his head disorganized and fuzzy. He looked around to find Orion, Claire, and Kori around him in tiny cages as well. Kori was face down in her cage, and her hand limply laid outside the cage. Ratchet reached out of his cage to get to Kori's hand. "Hey, wake up." He whispered and her hand limb in his. "Kori, please."

Kori's hand gently squeezed his. "Ratchet." She breathed, her eyes opening. "Where are we?" Kori whispered, moving closer to Ratchet.

A shrill and unforgettable voice came from the air. "So nice to see you again, my old enemy."

Ratchet looked out to see an old face from his past looking back at him. Kori watched Ratchet's face twist into a scowl. "You." He growled, Ratchet's grip on Kori's hand tightened.

"Yes," The short figure came out of the shadow. "It is I, so sorry to keep you waiting so long."

Fear grasped Kori's heart, face to face with the villain of her childhood nightmares. The villain of countless horror stories of her mother and stepfather. "Tachyon." She breathed.

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 **Yay! Thank you so much for reading! Please leave me a review, I'm always open to hearing how I can improve myself. I can't thank you enough for reading.**

 **The next and final story is already in the works, but I don't quite know when it will be out yet but I do have several more stories that if you want to read them they are there. Shameful plug is shameful. With these characters, there is the story that started it all "Another Story" currently being rewritten as "The Misplaced Maiden". The Second story in our little series is "The Lombax Rebirth" where ya girl Claire goes to the Lombax Dimension. Then here we are with Our New(Old) World.**

 **I do hope you enjoyed the story but I'm going to be sad to not write for these characters anymore, I've spent so much time with them I'm going to miss them lol. Except for Qwark, which is why he never shows up in the stories (well he shows up a couple of times). But anyway, stay tuned for the stunning conclusion: Tested Through Fire!**


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